Practice Flashcards
Flip to reveal answersHow do you form the past continuous?
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All 14 Flashcards — Past continuous
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Question
How do you form the past continuous?
Answer
was / were + the -ing form: I was reading, they were waiting.
Question
When do you use 'was' vs 'were'?
Answer
was with I/he/she/it; were with you/we/they.
Question
What does the past continuous mean?
Answer
An action that was in progress (not yet finished) at a moment in the past.
Question
Make the past continuous negative.
Answer
Add not: wasn't / weren't + -ing (I wasn't sleeping, they weren't listening).
Question
Form a past-continuous question.
Answer
Put was/were first: Was she working? Were they waiting?
Question
Spelling: write + -ing
Answer
writing — drop the silent final -e before -ing.
Question
Spelling: run + -ing
Answer
running — double the final consonant after a short stressed vowel.
Question
Spelling: lie + -ing
Answer
lying — final -ie becomes -ying.
Question
Which tense for a long action interrupted by a short one?
Answer
The long action = past continuous; the short interruption = past simple. 'I was reading when the phone rang.'
Question
What goes with 'while' and what with 'when'?
Answer
'while' + the long action (past continuous); 'when' + the short action (past simple).
Question
Two main jobs of the past continuous.
Answer
Setting the scene/background, and two actions happening at the same time.
Question
Can you use the past continuous for a finished action?
Answer
No — a completed action takes the past simple (I finished, not 'I was finishing and stopped').
Question
Can state verbs go in the past continuous?
Answer
No — verbs like know, want, like, believe take the past simple: 'I knew', not 'I was knowing'.
Question
'It ___ (rain) when we ___ (leave) the house.'
Answer
It was raining when we left the house — background (past continuous) + interruption (past simple).
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Full study notes for Past continuous
Topic 3.2 hub
Past & future tenses
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English B exam skills
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