Level 03 – Step 05 : Past Continuous Tense (He was crying. They were playing.)
/Level 03 – Step 05 : Past Continuous Tense (He was crying. They were playing.)
🚪 Let’s Begin
/🚪 Let’s Begin
🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn the past continuous tense.
/🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn the past continuous tense.
🐧Igupen: Past continuous? Is that for things that were happening before?
/🐧Igupen: Past continuous? Is that for things that were happening before?
🦉Professor Owl: Yes.
/🦉Professor Owl: Yes.
We use it to talk about actions that were in progress at a certain time in the past.
/We use it to talk about actions that were in progress at a certain time in the past.
Listen and try the examples.
/Listen and try the examples.
📚 Lesson
/📚 Lesson
What is the past continuous tense?
/What is the past continuous tense?
The past continuous shows an action that was happening at a specific time in the past.
/The past continuous shows an action that was happening at a specific time in the past.
We make it with: Subject + was/were + verb + -ing.
/We make it with: Subject + was/were + verb + -ing.
Use “was” with singular subjects (I, he, she, it) and “were” with plural subjects (we, you, they).
/Use “was” with singular subjects (I, he, she, it) and “were” with plural subjects (we, you, they).
Simple examples: He was crying.
/Simple examples: He was crying.
He was crying.
/He was crying.
They were playing.
/They were playing.
They were playing.
/They were playing.
When do we use past continuous?
/When do we use past continuous?
To describe an action in progress at a specific time in the past: At 7 p.m., I was studying.
/To describe an action in progress at a specific time in the past: At 7 p.m., I was studying.
To show two actions where one was happening when another happened: I was walking when it started to rain.
/To show two actions where one was happening when another happened: I was walking when it started to rain.
To describe background action in a story: The sun was shining and birds were singing.
/To describe background action in a story: The sun was shining and birds were singing.
🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
/🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
Ask: What was happening? Use “was” for one person or thing, “were” for more than one.
/Ask: What was happening? Use “was” for one person or thing, “were” for more than one.
Quick checks inside the lesson
/Quick checks inside the lesson
He was crying → Subject: He; was + crying.
/He was crying → Subject: He; was + crying.
They were playing → Subject: They; were + playing.
/They were playing → Subject: They; were + playing.
Try this: Fill in the blank — At noon, the children ___ (eat). → The children were eating.
/Try this: Fill in the blank — At noon, the children ___ (eat). → The children were eating.
🌼 Sample Sentences
/🌼 Sample Sentences
No.01 He was crying.
/No.01 He was crying.
No.02 They were playing in the park.
/No.02 They were playing in the park.
No.03 I was reading a book at 8 o’clock.
/No.03 I was reading a book at 8 o’clock.
No.04 She was cooking dinner when I arrived.
/No.04 She was cooking dinner when I arrived.
No.05 We were listening to music.
/No.05 We were listening to music.
No.06 The cat was sleeping on the sofa.
/No.06 The cat was sleeping on the sofa.
No.07 You were studying for the test.
/No.07 You were studying for the test.
No.08 It was raining all afternoon.
/No.08 It was raining all afternoon.
No.09 My friends were laughing at the joke.
/No.09 My friends were laughing at the joke.
No.10 The boys were running to the bus.
/No.10 The boys were running to the bus.
🎓 Practice exercises
/🎓 Practice exercises
Note: Think first, then check the answers.
/Note: Think first, then check the answers.
Q1: Make a past continuous sentence: (she / dance / at 6 pm)
/Q1: Make a past continuous sentence: (she / dance / at 6 pm)
Q2: Choose the correct form: At 3 p.m., I (was / were) painting.
/Q2: Choose the correct form: At 3 p.m., I (was / were) painting.
Q3: Fill in the blank: While Tom ___ (play), his sister called.
/Q3: Fill in the blank: While Tom ___ (play), his sister called.
Q4: True or False: Use “was” with they.
/Q4: True or False: Use “was” with they.
Q5: Rewrite in past continuous: The dog sleeps on the mat. (at 7 a.m.)
/Q5: Rewrite in past continuous: The dog sleeps on the mat. (at 7 a.m.)
Q6: Which sentence shows an action in progress when another action happened? A) She studied and finished her homework. B) She was studying when the phone rang.
/Q6: Which sentence shows an action in progress when another action happened? A) She studied and finished her homework. B) She was studying when the phone rang.
Q7: Fill in the blank: We ___ (watch) TV when the lights went out.
/Q7: Fill in the blank: We ___ (watch) TV when the lights went out.
Q8: Make a negative past continuous: (I / not / listen) at that time.
/Q8: Make a negative past continuous: (I / not / listen) at that time.
Q9: Change to a question: He was writing a letter.
/Q9: Change to a question: He was writing a letter.
Q10: Choose the correct pair: (I / play) → A) I was playing. B) I were playing.
/Q10: Choose the correct pair: (I / play) → A) I was playing. B) I were playing.
Answers
/Answers
A1: She was dancing at 6 pm.
/A1: She was dancing at 6 pm.
A2: was → At 3 p.m., I was painting.
/A2: was → At 3 p.m., I was painting.
A3: was playing → While Tom was playing, his sister called.
/A3: was playing → While Tom was playing, his sister called.
A4: False → Use “were” with they.
/A4: False → Use “were” with they.
A5: The dog was sleeping on the mat at 7 a.m.
/A5: The dog was sleeping on the mat at 7 a.m.
A6: B is correct → She was studying when the phone rang.
/A6: B is correct → She was studying when the phone rang.
A7: were watching → We were watching TV when the lights went out.
/A7: were watching → We were watching TV when the lights went out.
A8: I was not listening at that time.
/A8: I was not listening at that time.
A9: Was he writing a letter?
/A9: Was he writing a letter?
A10: A is correct → I was playing.
/A10: A is correct → I was playing.
🦉 Closing
/🦉 Closing
🦉Professor Owl: Well done today.
/🦉Professor Owl: Well done today.
Remember to ask, “What was happening?” and choose was or were.
/Remember to ask, “What was happening?” and choose was or were.
Try to write three sentences about things you were doing yesterday.
/Try to write three sentences about things you were doing yesterday.
Keep practicing and you will feel more confident with the past continuous.
/Keep practicing and you will feel more confident with the past continuous.
