Past continuous

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PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

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PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE OR PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE ARE THE SAME THING

THE PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE REFERS TO A CONTINUING ACTION THAT WAS HAPPENING AT SOME POINT IN THE PAST.

THE PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE IS FORMED BY COMBINING THE PAST TENSE OF TO BE (I.E., WAS/WERE WITH THE VERB (+ING FORM).

IT IS OFTEN USED TO DESCRIBE CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED IN THE PAST.( SI TRADUCE CO IL NOSTRO IMPERFETTO)

Examples: The sun was shining every day that summer. As I spoke, the children were laughing.

IT CAN ALSO BE USED TO DESCRIBE SOMETHING THAT WAS HAPPENING CONTINUOUSLY IN THE PAST WHEN ANOTHER ACTION INTERRUPTED IT.

Examples: The audience was applauding until he fell off the stage. I was making dinner when she arrived.

THE PAST CONTINUOUS CAN BE USED TO DESCRIBE WHAT WAS HAPPENING AT A PRECISE TIME IN THE PAST.

Examples: At 6 o’clock, I was eating dinner. Yesterday at this time, he was sleeping.

The Past Continuous Tense translatesthe Italian Indicativo Imperfetto

We DO NOT often use the past continuous tense in combination with stative verbs. Stative verbs are verbs which express a state rather than an action, and often relate to feelings like thoughts, emotions, relations or senses.

Past continuous + Past simple

We also very often use a combination of the past simple and past continuous tense.

The past continuous tense is used for longer actions whereas the past simple is used for shorter ones that happened in the middle of the long action. In these kinds of sentences, we often use adverbs when or while.

Long actions while(Past Continuous)

Short actions when (Past Simple)

Examples: While I was playing the piano, you phoned me. / I was playing the piano when you phoned me. I was watching TV when someone knocked on the door. / While I was watching TV, someone knocked on the door.

Thank you!

Maria Arduino