Past Continuous

Past Continuous means ‘the progress has finished.’ We can also call it Past Continuous. The definition of Past Continuous Tense itself is the name. The explanation is below.

KJ – What is the definition of Past Continuous?

Mr English – The definition is based on its name Past Continuous. A time which is finished.

KJ – Wrong! The definition is based on its name Past Continuous. A time that is past (old, changed, or completed) and continuous (progress). Past Continuous means old, changed, or completed progress.

KJ – Understood? TAKE A LOOK BELOW TO UNDERSTAND IT CLEARLY!

Past Continuous = Old, changed, or completed progress. We also call this tense “Past Progressive.”

1. Finished progress around a particular time in the past.
2. Finished progress at a particular time in the past.
3. Background event.
4. Temporary Action or Event.

Past Continuous Rules

• Was + verb 1st form + ing = I, he, she, it, this, that, there, here, singular noun, etc.
• Were + verb 1st form + ing = We, you, they, these, those, there, here, plural nouns, etc.

Past Continuous Format

• Affirmative = Subject + was/were + verb 1st form + ing + other words.
• Negative = Subject + was/were + not + verb 1st form + ing + other words.
• Simple Interro = Was/were + subject + verb 1st form + ing + other words?
• Simple Interro Negative = Was/were + subject + not + verb 1st form + ing + other words?
• Interrogative = Wh-family + was/were + subject + verb 1st form + ing + other words?
• Interrogative Negative = Wh-family + was/were + subject + not + verb 1st form + ing + other words?

Past Continuous Definitions

1. Finished progress around a time in the past = Any action, event, or state that was in progress but finished around a time in the past. It is slightly similar to Present Continuous, “Progress around a time,” but here, the progress has been finished already. We denote the progress is over or finished around a time in the past.

“Around a time” means there is no exact time, so we use Past Continuous.

e.g. –

• She was enjoying the party. (Finished progress around time in past – was enjoying, the progress has finished. There is no exact time mention.)
• We were dancing around the party. (Finished progress around time in past – were dancing, the progress has finished. There is no exact time mention.)
• I was going back home. (Finished progress around time in past – was going, the progress has finished. There is no exact time mention.)
• What were you doing? (Ask for finished progress around time in past – were doing, ask for the finished progress. There is no exact time mention.)
• Why was he going to the office? (Ask for finished progress around time in past – were going, ask for the finished progress. There is no exact time mention.)

2. Finished progress at a particular time in the past = Any action, event, or state that was in progress but finished at a particular time in the past. It is slightly similar to Present Continuous, “Progress at a time,” but here, the progress has been finished already. We denote here the progress is over or finished at a particular time in the past.

“At a time” means there is a definite time in a sentence, so we use Past Continuous.

e.g. –

• She was enjoying the party all night. (Finished progress at a time in the past – was enjoying, the progress has finished. There is a definite time mentioned which is “all night.”)
• We were prancing around the ceremony yesterday. (Finished progress at a time in the past – were dancing, the progress has finished. There is a definite time mentioned which is “yesterday.”)
• I was going back home last Monday. (Finished progress at a time in the past – was going, the progress has finished. There is a definite time mentioned which is “last Monday.”)
• What were you doing all day? (Ask for finished progress at a time in the past – were doing, ask for the finished progress. There is a definite time mentioned which is “all day.”)
• Why was he still eating after lunch? (Ask for finished progress at a time in the past – was eating, ask for the finished progress. There is a definite time mentioned which is “after lunch.”)

3.Reason and Context for Event = We often use Past Continuous to give reason and context of the event in the past. It denotes the reason for doing or not doing something.

e.g. –

• Sam didn’t attend the meeting last week; he was traveling to Asia. (The reason for not attending the meeting was traveling to Asia. The reason is in Past Continuous.)
• They were feeling sick, so they took a half-day from the office. (The reason for taking a half-day was feeling sick. The reason is in Past Continuous.)
• He had to pay the restaurant bill as his friends were not carrying wallets. (The reason for paying the bill was his friends who were not carrying wallets. The reason is in Past Continuous.)

4. Background Event = When one action or event is more important than another action or event in the past, we use Past Continuous. An event that was happening/running backwardly of the main event or an event that is less important than the main event, that background event is Past Continuous. We use Past Verb for the main event.

We often use the Past Continuous to show a result of the “Main Event.” Both “Past Continuous” and “Past Tense” denote completed events.

 

Note –

• Background Event = Past Continuous.

• Main Event = Past Tense [Simple Past, Past Simple, Past Perfect, or Any Past Verb.]

   

A. The result of an event in the form of a background event = Interrupted Action, Repeated Action, Irritated Action, and Less Important Action.

• Interrupted Action/Event – When a progressive background action or event has been interrupted or finished because of the main event, we call it Interrupted Action or Event.

e.g. – The Green colour sentence is Main Event. The Red colour sentence is Background Event.

• She was riding a bicycle to school when she saw the accident. (The progress of riding a bicycle has been interrupted by seeing the accident.)
• We were dancing around the party while the electricity was gone. (The progress of dancing has been interrupted by the electricity.)
• As I was taking care of him, he recovered from illness. (The progress of taking care has been interrupted by recovering from illness.)
• When you called me, I was having or eating my dinner. (The progress of eating dinner has been interrupted by getting a call.)
• The microphone had been turned off as I was giving the speech. (The progress of giving the speech has been interrupted by the turned-off microphone.)

• Repeated Action/Event – When a progressive background action or event has been repeating again and again but finished that shows in the main action, we call it Repeated Action or Event.

e.g. – The Green colour sentence is Main Event. The Red colour sentence is Background Event.

• I was giving speeches all the time until my throat got sour. (The repeated progress of giving speeches has been finished by the sour throat.)
• Until I was sick; I was training four times a day. (The repeated progress of training four times a day has been finished by being sick.)
• She was always coming late to the office; I started to give her a ride. (The repeated progress of coming late has been finished by getting a ride.)
• We were dancing in the bar every Saturday, then one morning; the bar was shut down. (The repeated progress of dancing in the bar has been finished by shutting down the bar.)
• I was feeding their dog three times a day till they were back from vacation. (The repeated progress of feeding their dog has been finished by returning from vacation.)

• Irritated Action/Event – When a progressive background action or event has been interrupted or repeated again and again but finished which shows in the main action. If it gives irritation, we call it Irritated Action or Event.

e.g. – The Green colour sentence is Main Event. The Red colour sentence is Background Event.

• I changed my diet, I was eating one time a day. (Irritated because of eating one time a day but the progress finished when I changed my diet.)
• Someone switched the channel when I was watching a serial. (Irritated because of finished progress when someone switched the channel.)
• We were happily celebrating her birthday until there was an argument. (Irritated because of finished progress when there was an argument.)

• Less Important Action/Event – When any progressive background action or event is not important even if we skip it from the sentence, it does not affect the main event; we call it Temporary Action or Event.

e.g. – The Green colour sentence is Main Event. The Red colour sentence is Background Event.

• I didn’t attend the meeting last week, I was traveling to London. (Background event is less important than the main event.)
• She was driving her car to school when she saw the accident. (Background event is less important than the main event.)
• She was enjoying the party when I called her. (Background event is less important than the main event.)

5. Parallel Action/Event = When two or more than two different actions or events were happening or progressing at the same time, we call it Parallel Action. We use Past Continuous in both sentences if they are completed progress.

e.g. –

• I was feeding the dog when it was barking. (Both progressive actions have been finished at the same time in Past Continuous.)
• I was driving while he was looking outside the window. (Both progressive actions have been finished at the same time in Past Continuous.)
• As he was paying the bill, she was negotiating. (Both progressive actions have been finished at the same time in Past Continuous)

6. Temporary Action/Event = When any action or event is not permanent, is not your routine, you are not doing it regularly; or “Finished progress that happens sometimes which is not certain when?” we call it Temporary Action or Event.

e.g. –

• Last Sunday, I was going on a tour. (Temporary progress – you do not go to tour regularly.)
• Sia was learning English. (Temporary progress – Sia does not learn English all the time.)

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Past Continuous or Progressive Tense QUIZ

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