FORMATION & USE OF THE PAST CONTINUOUS

How do we make the Past Continuous Tense?

The structure of the past continuous tense is:

subject

+

auxiliary be

+

main verb

conjugated in Past Simple

was, were

present participle

The auxiliary verb (be) is conjugated in the Past Simple: was, were
The main verb is invariable in present participle form: -ing.

• Negative sentences we insert not between the auxiliary verb and the main verb.
• Question sentences, we exchange the subject and the auxiliary verb.

 USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past

Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Example:

• I was watching TV when she called.