Past Continuous

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 3

The past continuous

Verleden tijd duurvorm

Bevestigende zinnen

(+) I / He / She / It = was + hele werkwoord + ing

I was playing football

(+) You / We / They = were + hele werkwoord + ing

We were swimming all day yesterday

(-) I / He / She / It = was not + hele werkwoord + ing

Kyle wasn't running around the house, he was doing his homework.

(-) You / We / They = were not + hele werkwoord + ing

Stan and Eric were not having a fight, they were just playing.

(?) was + I / He / She / It + hele werkwoord + ing

Was he playing football?

(?) were + You / We / They + hele werkwoord + ing

Were you playing football at 3 o'clock?

Wanneer? 1

1. Wanneer iets een langere tijd bezig was in het verleden. 

I was tanning at the beach all day yesterday.

2. Wanneer twee acties tegelijkertijd bezig waren 

My father was cooking while my mother was watching television.

While = 2 dingen waren tegelijkertijd bezig

Wanneer? 2

3. Een actie die bezig was en werd onderbroken

I was having a shower when my cat yelled at me to open the door.

We were driving to Amsterdam when the car broke down.

When = 1 ding was bezig en 1 ding onderbrak/gebeurde 

Signaalwoorden

When = 1 korte actie, 1 lange actie of 2 korte acties

As = 1 korte actie, 1 lange actie

While = 2 lange acties

Exercise 1

Finish the sentences using the past continuous

Kate __ (to have) a turkey for dinner.

Mum __ (to set) the table.

The boys __ (to watch) TV.

It __ (to rain) outside.

The baby __ (to cry).

The dogs __ (to bark).

Sarah and Tom __ (to study) for their exams.

The women __ (to drink) coffee.

Exercise 2

Put the words in the correct order to make sentences in the past continuous

house. - the - through - chasing - cat - dog - was - The - the

kitchen. - the - in - sleeping - was - Mary - chair - on - a

their - were - The - the - at - disco. - favourite - girls - dancing - their - to - song

night - all - cooking - dinner - you - Were - yesterday?

and - were - The - boys - TV. - watching - cookies - eating

I'm - you. - listening - not - to - I - was - sorry, -

cutting - customer's - stylist - the - Was - hair? - her

dunes. - BMX - was - boy - The - riding - the - through - his

Past Continuous & Past Simple

Wanneer een actie in het verleden wordt onderbroken:

1. Past Continuous = lange actie

2. Past Simple = korte actie (onderbreking)

I was having a shower when the doorbell rang.

They were running when he tripped.

Exercise 3

Put the sentences in the past simple and past continuous

Each sentence must contain 1 past simple and 1 past continuous

Type the whole sentence

They (to play) football when it (to start) to rain.

She (to listen) to music when her mother (to knock) on the door.

My brother (to dance) when we (to come home)

My mother (to cook) when the gas (to turn) off.