Grammar
Tense: Past continuous – Grammar in use
1st Part
Grammar in use
2nd Part
Form
3rd Part
To be
4th Part
Drills
1st Part
Grammar in use
- Topic : Past + ING ( past continuous)
- Skills : Grammar
Use
Like the present continuous is used to focus on a special moment of the present time,
the past continuous is used to focus on a special moment of the past.
It describes actions that took time in the past. ( aspect ING = action in process)
Comme le présent continu (BE+ING) est utilisé pour mettre l’accent sur un moment précis du présent,
le past continuous (BE+ING) est utilisé pour mettre l’accent sur un moment précis du passé. (Rappel : sens de l’aspect ING : focalisation)
Le past continuous permet d’insister sur la longueur d’une action dans une description alors que le past simple décrit une action rapide.
| FOCUS ON | ACTIONS |
|---|---|
| An action in the past which is interrupted by another one. Une action qui se déroulait quand elle a été interrompue par une autre. |
What were you doing when I phoned? We were having dinner when he rang the door. Beware: When the baby cried (short action) , he rushed to the bedroom. =/= While I was walking past the car (long action), it exploded. |
| Ongoing actions at a specified time in the past. the listener usually knows or understands what time you are talking about even if you do not mention the time. Le past continuous est utilisé pour décrire une action qui s’est déroulée à un moment précis du passé. |
What were you doing last night at 8 o’clock? At 8 p.m, yesterday night I was watching TV. They were playing football at 10 this morning. |
| Emphasizing how long an action took in the past. With All morning, all day, all week, months; the whole year, for hours..)Unlike the past simple which is used to describe short actions, the past continuous is used to express long actions (in process) Il est utilisé pour décrire une action qui a une certaine durée dans le passé- in process et se traduit par l’imparfait français dans ce cas. |
The players were training for months. She was gardening the whole year. |
| Habitual actions which no longer occur. (with always-forever-constantly when we talk about repeated, unplanned or undesired events) – Il est utilisé pour décrire une action/ une habitude passée révolue. ( avec des nuances de lassitude, d’irritation parfois… |
He was constantly calling her. (irritation) In those days he was working hard. |
| Setting the background of a story. Il est utilisé pour décrire le contexte, le décor d’un récit. |
The sun was shining, the wind was blowing. Anna sat down to phone her friend. He was driving through the town, it was raining. Suddenly he saw the killer etc….. |
Adverbs and phrases used with the Past continuous
| always | At that time | All day, week,month, year | While + long action |
| constantly | In those days | For hours, months, weeks…. | |
| forever | The whole year |