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The past continuous THE PAST CONTINUOUS FOR SCENE-SETTING

The past continuous is often used in storytelling
to set a scene or describe a situation.
The past continuous is used in English to talk about actions See also:
or events that were in progress at some time in the past. It is Past simple 7
formed with “was” or “were” and a present participle. Infinitives and participles 51

THE PAST CONTINUOUS
Past simple shows the action
English uses the past happened once and is now finished.
continuous to talk about
ongoing actions that were
in progress at a certain THE PAST CONTINUOUS AND THE PAST SIMPLE
time in the past. When English uses the past continuous and past simple together, the
past continuous describes a longer, background action, and the past
simple describes a shorter action that interrupts the background action.

CONTINUING BACKGROUND ACTION INTERRUPTING MAIN ACTION
11:30AM 12:00PM 12:30PM
The past continuous
shows the action went
on for some time, but
is now finished.

Past continuous describes
a continuing action.

FURTHER EXAMPLES

FURTHER EXAMPLES

HOW TO FORM
“Was” or “were” followed by the present participle form the past continuous.

SUBJECT “WAS / WERE” VERB + “-ING” REST OF SENTENCE

“Was” or “were” is used “-ing” is added
depending on the subject. to the main verb.

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