Past Continuous Tense: Past Continuous #1

Dennis Oliver

The Past Continuous Tense #1

There are several continuous tenses in English, and all
of them are similar in form: they use a form of BE + the
-ing form of another verb. The uses of all the continuous
tenses are similar but not exactly the same--and of course
they are used for different times.

To understand past continuous tense better, let's take
a look at its form.

Past Continuous Tense: Form

The present continuous tense always has two parts:

1.		BE in past (was, were);

2.		a verb ending in -ing.

Examples:

He was studying.
They were arguing.
It was raining.
You were reading the newspaper.
I was using my computer.

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Special Notes:

1.		Although contractions with am, is, and are are commonly used, there are no contractions for affirmative was or were: I am ---> I'm I was ---> no contraction she is ---> she's she was ---> no contraction they are ---> they're they were ---> no contraction

2.		Although there are no affirmative contractions for was or were, negative contractions for these forms of BE are very common: I was not listening. ---> I wasn't listening. She was not paying attention. ---> She wasn't paying attention. They were not concentrating. ---> They weren't concentrating.

3.		Contractions with am, is, and are are commonly used when the subject is a noun--especially when the subject means he, she, or it, but there are no contractions when was or were is used in this way: Bob is sleeping. ---> Bob's sleeping. Bob was sleeping. ---> no contraction María is watching TV. ---> Maria's watching TV. María was watching TV. ---> no contraction The bell is ringing. ---> The bell's ringing. The bell was ringing. ---> no contraction

4.		Some people use the term past progressive tense instead of past continuous tense.

5.		It is actually more accurate to say that sentences like "I was using my computer to make these examples" are in past tense and show the progressive aspect.

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Next: uses of the past continuous tense

Past Continuous Tense: Past Continuous #1

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