Past Continuous
The Past Continuous (also called the Past Progressive) is used in several different ways:
- interrupted actions in the past
- parrallel actions in the past
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Form
We make the past continuous by using was/were and the -ing form of the verb:
Usage
Interrupted Actions/Background
We use the past continuous to talk about an action which happens in the past which is interrupted by another action (this can be considered as a background action)
On a time scale, the first example would look like this:
Eating is the action that had started, and was still in progress, when the second action - somebody knocking at the door - took place. Because of the type of actions that the past continuous tense and the past simple tense describe, these two tenses are often used together.
Parallel Actions
We use the past continuous to talk about continuous actions happening at the same time in the past.
Temporary and Continuous
These are long term actions in the past which no longer occur:
Past Arrangements
For arrangements in the past:
Passive Voice
The passive form is made by using was/were being, and the -ing form of the verb:
