The Past Continuous:

●      The Past Continuous:

 

Form:  was/were + ing of the verb

 

I was reading at 10:00 last night.  My son was watching the news on TV.

 

On Saturday afternoon, she was cooking a special dinner for her family.

 

Where were you doing at 9:00 this morning?

 

For example:

I was drinking my tea and doing a word puzzle.

I was sleeping at 9:00 this morning.

I was reading emails this morning.

She was cooking breakfast. 

She was eating breakfast and reading the lecture.

She was walking.

She was doing her catering job this morning.

 

 

 

When to use the past continuous:

 

●       To show that something was in progress in the past (we often give a specific time, but not always.)

 

She was studying at 11:00 last night.

They were watching movies for several hours on Friday night.

He was working at 6:00 this morning.

 

 

●       In sentences with past tense time clauses to show that one action interrupted another action.  Use the past continuous for the longer action.  Use the simple past for the shorter action.

 

 

 

 

I was driving to the store when I heard my favorite song on the radio.

 

The students were talking to each other on Zoom when the teacher signed on.    

When I got home on Saturday, my kids were watching a movie.

 

While my kids were watching a movie, I got home.

My kids were watching a movie.

I got home.

 

What does “while” mean?  At the same time; during that time

While I was driving to the store, I heard my favorite song.

The teacher walked in while the students were talking.

 

What difference do you see in how “when” and “while” are used?

What tense did I use with “when”? the simple past

What tense did I use with “while”? the past continuous

 

 

When the past continuous and the simple past are both used, which action happens first?  The past continuous happens first.

 

 

●      With “while” to show that two actions were happening at the same time in the past.

 

While my friend was making dinner, her husband was helping the kids with their homework.   Both of the actions happened at the same time.

 

What are other people in your home doing now?

While I’m studying, my daughter is eating dinner.

 

While one student was asking a question, the other students were listening. 

While I’m studying, my cousin is watching TV.

While I was grocery shopping on Monday, I was wearing a mask.

 

 

***Note: If both verbs are in the simple past tense in a complex sentence with a “when” clause, then the action in the when clause happened first.

For example: When class ended, I uploaded the lesson to Canvas. 

What happened first? Class ended.

What happened second? I uploaded the lesson.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With a couple of classmates, write some sentences with past time clauses about what you did during your first few weeks of "shelter in place".  Use “when” and “while”. Practice using the past continuous and the simple past.

 

For example:

I was trying to learn how to use Canvas while I was finishing up my winter quarter classes.    (same time)

When I joined a Zoom class on how to use Canvas, the instructor was sharing his screen. What is first? The instructor was sharing.

When I woke up every morning, I immediately read the news about the coronavirus in the New York Times.  What is first here? I woke up.

I immediately read the news when I woke up.   What happened first? I woke up.

 

When I went into the grocery store, people were wearing masks.

While I was sheltering in place, I was trying to learn how to cook from Youtube.

It was very confusing for me when I started to shelter in place.

While everyone was staying home, I was working very hard.

While I was trying to adapt to this situation, other people were having problems with this.

When I heard about the virus at first, I was shocked.

When I heard about the virus at first, I was watching the news.

While I was watching the news, I heard about the virus.

While I was walking with my sister, my mom was cooking.

When I entered a shop, a worker was cleaning a cart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Homework for Monday:  pages 179-188, do exercises: 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14

 

And Write WA#3.  You can find the assignment on Canvas.

 

***You will have a quiz on Monday on Chapters 1, 2, 3 and future time clauses.  The quiz will be from 8:00-8:45 (about)