00:01Welcome to Chapter 6 of our English Grammar series.
00:04In this lesson, we are going to learn about the past continuous tense.
00:08This tense is used to describe actions that were happening or were in progress at a specific time in the
00:13past.
00:14By the end of this lesson, you will understand how to form sentences, ask questions, and use this tense confidently
00:20in your daily conversations.
00:22So let us get started.
00:23The first use of the past continuous tense is for actions that were interrupted or that were happening at a
00:29specific time in the past.
00:31Imagine you were doing something and then something else happened and stopped or interrupted that action.
00:36For example, I was reading a book when she called me.
00:39Here, the reading was the ongoing action and the phone call was the interruption.
00:44Another example, while I was eating dinner, the phone rang.
00:47Notice how the ongoing action uses the past continuous and the interruption uses the simple past tense.
00:54Now let us look at the sentence structure for the past continuous tense.
00:58The formula is simple.
01:00Subject plus was or were plus the verb in its ing form plus the object.
01:05But when do we use was and when do we use were?
01:09We use was with the pronouns I, he, she, and it as well as with singular subjects like John or
01:15my brother.
01:15We use were with you, we, and they as well as with plural subjects like John and Mary.
01:21For example, I was drinking coffee.
01:23We were drinking coffee.
01:25Notice the only difference is the helping verb was or were.
01:29Let us talk about the signal words or clue words that help us identify when to use the past continuous
01:34tense.
01:34The most common signal words are while and when.
01:38While introduces the ongoing action.
01:40For example, while I was sleeping, a thief came to my home.
01:44When introduces the interruption.
01:46For example, I was reading a book when she called me.
01:50Other clue words include yesterday, last night at 6 pm, at this time last night, and this morning.
01:56Whenever you see these words in a sentence, it is a strong hint that you should use the past continuous
02:01tense.
02:02The second use of the past continuous tense is for parallel actions.
02:07This means, two actions that were both happening at the same time in the past.
02:11For example, I was studying while he was sleeping.
02:15Notice that both actions use the past continuous tense because both were ongoing at the same time.
02:21Here are more examples.
02:23I was watching TV while you were sleeping.
02:26My brother was watching TV while I was reading.
02:28The key word while is commonly used to connect two parallel actions.
02:33Now let us look at positive sentences using the subject I.
02:37Number 1. I was reading a book when she called me.
02:41Number 2. I was cooking dinner when Peter arrived.
02:44Number 3. While I was eating dinner, the phone rang.
02:49Number 4. I was going to college when you saw me.
02:53Number 5. I was working in a bank this time last year.
02:58Number 6. I was going home when the rain started.
03:03Number 7. I was playing tennis at 7 o'clock this morning.
03:08Number 8. I was doing my homework at this time yesterday.
03:13Number 9. I was watching TV when the power went out.
03:18Number 10. While I was sleeping, a thief came to my home.
03:23Number 9. Notice how each sentence has an ongoing action in the past, continuous, and an interruption in the simple
03:29past.
03:29Let us now see how the sentences change when we use he or she as the subject.
03:34With he, we say, he was reading a book when she called him.
03:38He was cooking dinner when Peter arrived.
03:41He was going to college when I saw him.
03:43He was working in a bank this time last year.
03:45He was playing tennis at 7 o'clock this morning.
03:48He was watching TV when the power went out.
03:51Now with she, she was reading a book when he called her.
03:54She was cooking dinner when Peter arrived.
03:56She was going to college when I saw her.
04:00Notice that with he and she, we always use was not were.
04:04The verb form stays the same.
04:06Only the pronoun and object change.
04:09Now let us look at sentences with you, we, and they.
04:13Remember, with all of these subjects, we use were, not was.
04:18With you, you were reading a book when she called you.
04:22You were cooking dinner when Peter arrived.
04:24With we, we were reading a book when she called us.
04:27We were cooking dinner when Peter arrived.
04:30We were going home when the rain started.
04:32We were watching TV when the power went out.
04:35With they, they were reading a book when she called them.
04:37They were cooking dinner when Peter arrived.
04:40They were going home when the rain started.
04:42They were watching TV when the power went out.
04:45The key point here is, you, we, and they always take were.
04:50Now let us learn how to form positive questions,
04:53also called yes or no questions.
04:55To make a question, we simply move was or were to the beginning of the sentence.
05:00The structure is was or were plus the subject plus the verb in ing form
05:05plus the object and a question mark.
05:08With was, we ask questions like, was I playing tennis at seven o'clock this morning?
05:13Was he reading a book when she called him?
05:15Was she going to college when you saw her?
05:18With were, we ask, were you reading a book when she called you?
05:22Were you cooking dinner when Peter arrived?
05:24Were they doing their homework at this time yesterday?
05:27The answer to these questions would be, yes I was or no I was not.
05:32Here are some commonly used past continuous tense sentences that you can use in your daily life.
05:38Number one.
05:39I was traveling on a bus to Chennai when I lost my purse.
05:43Number two.
05:44I was studying degree when I got married.
05:47Number three.
05:48I was watching TV while you were sleeping.
05:52Number four.
05:53I was writing an exam at this time yesterday.
05:57Number five.
05:58My brother and I were watching TV when you called.
06:02Number six.
06:03I was taking my children to the park when you saw me.
06:07Number seven.
06:09I was searching for my car keys when you called me.
06:14Number eight.
06:16I was working in Hyderabad when I got promotion.
06:20Number nine.
06:21I was waiting for my friend when you saw me at the bus stop.
06:26Number ten.
06:27I was reading my lessons until midnight yesterday.
06:31Try to practice these sentences by replacing the subjects and verbs with your own daily activities.
06:37Finally, let us look at W8 questions in the past continuous tense with what we ask questions like,
06:42What were you doing when Peter called last night?
06:45What was he watching on TV when you saw yesterday?
06:48With where?
06:49Where were you going at five o'clock yesterday evening?
06:51Where was your brother going at five o'clock yesterday?
06:54With who there are two types.
06:56When who is the subject we say who was watching TV at midnight yesterday?
06:59Who was waiting for you here this morning?
07:02When who is not the subject we say who were you talking to on the phone last night?
07:05With why why were you shouting at him this morning?
07:08Why was Peter beating his son last night?
07:11Practice making your own WH questions using different verbs and subjects.
07:15Let us quickly summarize what we have learned in this chapter.
07:18The past continuous tense has two main uses.
07:21Use one for actions that were interrupted at a specific time in the past.
07:26Use two for two parallel actions that were happening at the same time.
07:29The structure is subject plus was or word plus the verb in its ing form plus the object.
07:37Remember, use was with I, he, she and it.
07:41Use were with you, we and they.
07:44For practice, take all the sentences from this lesson and try changing the subjects.
07:49Also try converting positive sentences into negative sentences and questions.
07:54The more you practice, the more natural this tense will feel in your everyday conversations.
07:59Thank you for learning with us and keep practicing.
Comments