The Past Continuous

What was happening two hours ago?

 The Past Continuous
• Use the past continuous to talk about an action
that took place in the past but lasted for a period
of time.

He was talking on the phone for two hours.

They were exercising at the gym all afternoon.

 The Past Continuous
• Use the past continuous to talk about simultaneous
actions

He was talking on the phone while their friends were

exercising at the gym
• Use the past continuous to talk about an action that
was interrupted by a shorter one

•I was having breakfast when the phone rang

•While I was having breakfast, the phone rang

 The Past Progressive
Use Verb To Be in the past simple (was-were) + a verb with –ing.

I was work ing.

You were playing.
He was talking.
She was reading.
It was eating.
We were exercising.
They were teaching.
 Negative Statements
For negative statements, you can use “not.”

I was not work ing.

You were not playing.
He was not talking.
She was not reading.
It was not eating.
We were not exercising.
They were not teaching.
 Negative Statements
For negative statements, you can also use contractions.

I Wasn’t work ing.

You Weren’t playing.
He Wasn’t talking.
She Wasn’t reading.
It Wasn’t eating.
We Weren’t exercising.
They Weren’t teaching.
The Past Continuous
What were they doing?
Spelling Progressive Verbs
 Silent -e
• When the base form of the verb ends with a silent –e
(not pronounced), drop the –e before adding –ing.

write writing

smile smiling

make making

freeze freezing
 CVC  Double
• When a one-syllable verb ends with a consonant, vowel,
consonant combination, double the last consonant.

run running
C V C

sit sitting
C V C

stop stopping
C V C
 Be Careful!
• Don’t double the consonant with other combinations.

sleep sleeping
V V C

help helping
V C C

learn learning
V C C
 Be Careful!
• Don’t double the letters x, w, or y.

row rowing
C V C

fix fixing
C C
V
 Change to -y
• When a verb ends in –ie, drop the –e and change
the –i to –y.

die dying

lie lying

tie tying
 Just Add -ing
• In all other cases, just add –ing to the simple
form of the verb.

study studying

do doing

see seeing