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Grammar - Level 2

Past Continuous Tense

We use past continuous to describe an action that was happening at a certain moment and we don’t know if the action is finished or not. To describe all this type of actions we have to use the past tense forms of the verb “to be” was or were or the negative forms wasn’t or weren’t and the verb that follows them has to be in the the “ing” form.

  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    My brother was watching TV when I left this morning. 
  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    What was your brother doing when you left this morning? 
  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    He was watching TV. 
  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    My mother was cooking when you called. 
  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    What was your mother doing when I called? 
  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    My mother was cooking. 

We can illustrate the grammatical structure better in the chart below.

Subject  + Was or Were  +Verb in ING  +Complement +Expression of past time
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
 I
 was
 drinking
 coffee at Starbucks
 this morning. 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
You
 were
 snoring
 in your room
 last night. 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
He
 was
 talking
 on the phone
 for two hours. 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
She
 was
 doing
 her homework
 two minutes ago. 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
It
 was
 raining
 a lot
 last night. 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
We
 were
 drinking
 at the bar
 last week. 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
They
 were
 studying
 at the libray
 the other day. 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
Statement:
  • They were studying for the test last Saturday. 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
Question:
  • Were they studying for the test last Saturday? 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
Affirmative Answer:
  • Yes, they were studying for the test last Saturday. 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
Negative Answer:
  • No, they weren’t studying for the test last Saturday. 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
Statement:
  • It was raining when we came back from the party. 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
Question:
  • Was it raining when you came back from the party? 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
Affirmative Answer:
  • Yes, it was raining when we came back from the party. 
Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
Negative Answer:
  • No, it wasn’t raining when we came back from the party. 

Typical questions in this tense are:

  • What were you _________?
  • Where were you ________?
  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    Where were you going last night? 
  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    What were you doing yesterday at the library? 

We can also use connectors to describe two actions that were happening at the same time. They are: and, while, when, but not.

  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    She was studying and memorizing the book at the same time. 
  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    They were dancing while the others were sleeping. 
  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    We were playing but not making noise. 
  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    Peter was writing while his father was listening to music. 
  • Error occurred when trying to fetch the file using wp_safe_remote_get(). cURL error 56: Recv failure: Connection reset by peer
    John was sleeping when the accident happened.