The past continuous

2.  Subject + auxiliary (was/were) + verb with –ing (+ compliment)
auxiliary
subject main verb compliment
verb
I was reading a book.
Affirmative
statements You were reading the lesson.
was
She not taking that course.
Negative
statements were
We not playing tennis.
was
he watching TV?
Yes/no were
we staying ?
questions
were
they eating apples?

3.  We use the past continuous to describe an action in
progress at a particular time in the past.
Examples:
They were doing homework when the bell rang.
They were not doing homework when the bell rang.
Were they doing homework when he the bell rang?
 We use the past continuous to indicate that an action
in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually
a shorter action in the Simple Past.
Examples:
While I was watching TV, I got a phone call.
He was waiting for me when I arrived.

4.  When the actions are parallel, we use the
past continuous with the two actions.
Examples:
I was reading while he was ironing.
He was not paying attention while
his mother was talking.

5. Assignment
Use the correct form of the past continuous and
the verb in brackets
1. Yesterday at four I ______________ (work).
2. He _____________________(practice) the
guitar.
3. While Andres ______________ (clean) his
room, his mother ___________ (cook) dinner.
4. What ________________ (you/do) when you
broke your leg?
5. The children _______________(watch)
television while Peter _______________ (read).