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1. Time Expressions

Finally, to build sentences using the past continuous you can support yourself with the following time expressions:

  • at 7 o'clock
  • at quarter to six
  • during
  • at six yesterday morning
  • all morning
  • this time yesterday
  • all last night
  • all day yesterday
  • the whole day
  • from 7 to 9
  • between seven and eight yesterday evening
  • at noon yesterday
  • at ten yesterday
2. Rules

To add the -ing ending to verbs, use the following rules:

Verbs ending with one 'e'

('e' sound is) silent

  • belive
  • have
  • live
  • take
  • move
-->

Drop - e add 'ing'

  • beliving
  • having
  • living
  • taking
  • moving

Short one-syllable verbs ending with CVC

  • sit
  • get
  • plan
  • run
  • stop
-->

Double final consonant and add -ing

  • sitting
  • getting
  • planning
  • running
  • stopping

Two or more syllable verbs with CVC

  • begin
  • forget
  • regret
  • admit
  • upset
-->

Double final consonant if last syllable is stressed

  • beginning
  • forgetting
  • regretting
  • admitting
  • upsetting

Verbs ending in -ie

('e' sound is) silent

  • die
  • lie
  • tie
-->

Change -ie to -y Add -ing

  • dying
  • lying
  • tying
3. Form

The correct use of the past continuous is as following:

FORM ·It is formed with was/were and the main verb + -ing
I/He/She/it
  • I was speaking
  • She wasn´t speaking
  • Was he speaking?
  • wasn't = was not
You/We/They
  • You were speaking
  • We weren´t speaking
  • Were they speaking?
  • weren't = were not
WH-Questions
  • Where were you standing during the fight?
  • Who was I talking to? I can't remember
  • Why wasn't she waiting at the meeting point?
4. Uses

You can use the past continuous in the next situations:

  • It sets the scene
  • It emphasizes the progress of an action at a special time in the past
  • It refers to an action that was happening again and again
  • It refers to a change of opinion
5. Past continuous

The past continuous tense expresses actions in progress at a point in time in the past.