Grammar : The Past Continuous Tense - JSS1 English Language Lesson Note

What is the Past Continuous Tense?

This tense describes actions that were ongoing at a specific point in the past.

Think of it like a snapshot from a movie: It shows what was happening during that specific moment, not just the beginning or ending.

How to Form the Past Continuous Tense:

Here's the magic formula:

Subject + was/were + verb-ing (present participle)

Let's break it down:

• Subject: Who or what was doing the action.
• was/were: The helping verb that tells us the tense is past continuous.
  • Use "was" for singular subjects (I, he, she, it).
  • Use "were" for plural subjects (we, you, they).

verb-ing: The main verb with an "-ing" ending (playing, reading, eating).

Examples:

• I was playing football when my friend called. (The action of playing was ongoing when the call interrupted.)
• She was reading a book in the library. (She was in the middle of reading at that specific time.)
• We were watching a movie last night. (The movie was playing while we were watching.)

Negative Sentences:

To say something wasn't happening in the past, we use:

Subject + wasn't/weren't + verb-ing

• I wasn't sleeping last night. (I was awake.)
• They weren't listening to the teacher. (They were paying no attention.)

When to Use It:

Use the past continuous tense when:

• You want to describe two or more ongoing actions in the past. (e.g., While I was cooking, my brother was setting the table.)
• You want to emphasize the duration of an action in the past. (e.g., They were waiting for hours before the bus finally arrived.)
• You want to set the background for another event in the past. (e.g., The sun was setting as we walked home.)

 

Complete the sentences with the correct form of the past continuous tense:

1. What _________ (do) you yesterday afternoon? (were doing)
2. They _________ (not play) outside when it started raining. (weren't playing)
3. She _________ (study) for her test all morning. (was studying)