Study this example situation:
Yesterday Karen and Jim played tennis. They began at 10 o'clock and finished at 11.30. So, at 10.30 they were playing tennis.
They were playing = 'they were in the middle of playing'. They had not finished playing.
Was/were ~ing is the past continuous:
I/he/she/it was playing/doing/working etc.
we/you/they were playing/doing/working etc.
We use the past continuous to say that somebody was in the middle of doing something at a certain time. The action or situation had already started before this time but had not finished:
* This time last year I was living in Brazil.
* What were you doing at 10 o'clock last night?
* I waved to her but she wasn't looking.
Compare the past continuous (I was doing) and past simple (I did): Past continuous (in the middle of an action)
* I was walking home when I met Dave. (= in the middle of walking home)
* Ann was watching television when the phone rang.
Past simple (complete action)
* I walked home after the party last night. (= all the way, completely)
* Ann watched television a lot when she was ill last year.
We often use the past simple and the past continuous together to say that something happened in the middle of something else:
* Tom burnt his hand when he was cooking the dinner.
* I saw you in the park yesterday. You were sitting on the grass and reading a book.
* While I was working in the garden, I hurt my back.
But we use the past simple to say that one thing happened after another:
* I was walking along the road when I saw Dave. So I stopped and we had a chat.
Compare:
* When Karen arrived, we were having dinner. (= We had already started dinner before Karen arrived.)
* When Karen arrived, we had dinner. (= First Karen arrived and then we had
dinner.)
There are some verbs (for example, know/want/believe) that are not normally used in the continuous:
* We were good friends. We knew each other well. (not 'we were knowing')
* I was enjoying the party but Chris wanted to go home. (not 'was wanting')
EXERCISES
6.1 What were you doing at the following times? Write one sentence as in the examples. The past continuous is not always necessary (see the second example).
1. (at 8 o'clock yesterday evening)
I was having dinner with some friends.
2. (at 5 o'clock last Saturday)
I was on a train on my way to London.
3. (at 10.15 yesterday morning)
4. (at 4.30 this morning)
5. (at 7.45 yesterday evening)
6. (half an hour ago)
6.2 Use your own ideas to complete these sentences. Use the past continuous.
1. Tom burnt his hand while he was cooking the dinner.
2. The doorbell rang while I ---
3. We saw an accident while we ---
4. Mary fell asleep while she ---
5. The television was on but nobody ---
6.3 Put the verbs into the correct form, past continuous or past simple.
1. I saw (see) Sue in town yesterday but she --- (look) the other way.
2. I --- (meet) Tom and Ann at the airport a few weeks ago. They --- (go) to Berlin and I --- (go) to Madrid. We --- (have) a chat while we --- (wait) for our flights.
3. I --- (cycle) home yesterday when suddenly a man --- (step) out into the road in front of me. I --- (go) quite fast but luckily I --- (manage) to stop in time and --- (not/hit) him.
6.4 Put the verbs into the correct form, past continuous or past simple.
1. Jane was waiting (wait) for me when I arrived (arrive).
2. 'What --- (you/do) this time yesterday?' 'I was asleep.'
3. '--- (you/go) out last night?' 'No, I was too tired.'
4. 'Was Carol at the party last night?' 'Yes, she --- (wear) a really nice dress.'
5. How fast --- (you/drive) when the accident --- (happen)?
6. John --- (take) a photograph of me while I --- (not/look).
7. We were in a very difficult position. We --- (not/know) what to do.
8. I haven't seen Alan for ages. When I last --- (see) him, he --- (try) to find a Job in London.
9. I --- (walk) along the street when suddenly I --- (hear) footsteps behind me. Somebody --- (follow) me. I was frightened and I --- (start) to run.
10. When I was young, I --- (want) to be a bus driver.
Answers:
6.1 3 I was working. 4 I was in bed asleep. 5 I was having a meal in a restaurant. 6 I was watching TV at home.
6.2 2 was having a shower. 3 were waiting for the bus. 4 was reading the paper. 5 was watching it.
6.3 1 didn't see ... was looking 2 met ... were going ... was going ... had ... were waiting/waited 3 was cycling ... stepped ... was going ... managed ... didn't hit
6.4 2 were you doing 3 Did you go 4 was wearing (wore is also possible) 5 were you driving ... happened 6 took ... wasn't looking 7 didn't know 8 saw ... was trying 9 was walking ... heard ... was following ... started 10 wanted
