Week 5 S16 lesson 1

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2,3

Schedule:

1. Grammar instruction: Past Continuous

2. 2 HV: Chapter 4 par. 2. & 3H: Chapter 5 par. 2.

1. Grammar instruction: Past Continuous

was/were + verb + ing

Questions and negations:

I was cooking when you called. BE + verb + ing

Was I cooking when you called? BE + verb + ing

I was not cooking when you called. BE + not + verb +

ing

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. 

I was watching TV when she called.

When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.

While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.

2 Specific Time as an Interruption

In USE 1, the past continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the simple past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.

At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.

Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.  

IMPORTANT

In the simple past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the past continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action.

Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner.

I started eating at 6 PM.

Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.

I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner.

3 Parallel Actions

When you use the past continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.

I was studying while he was making dinner.

While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.

Were you listening while he was talking?

 4 Atmosphere

We often use a series of parallel actions to describe the atmosphere at a particular time in the past.

"When I walked into the office, several people were busily typing, some were talking on the phones, the boss was yelling directions, and customers were waiting to be helped. One customer was yelling at a secretary and waving his hands". 

5 Repetition and Irritation with Always

The past continuous with words such as always or constantly expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happened in the past. 

She was always coming to class late.

He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.

I didn't like them because they were always complaining.

Tips:

When = used mostly with the past simple

While = used mostly with the past continuous

I was studying when she called.

While I was studying, she called.

Read your notes.

In what kind of situations do we use the 'past continuous'?

Pay attention!!!

We do not use the past continuous with stative verbs. We use the past simple instead:

When I got home, I really needed (NOT was needing) a shower.

State verbs

Let's practice the state verbs first.......

State verbs exercise 1 & 2

Exercises: 

1. Start here

2. Next

3. Follow up

4. Continue

5. Almost there

6. Yes

7. Finished

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All Right Online:

• 2 HV: Chapter 4 par. 2. 
• 3H: Chapter 5 par. 2.

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