Form
Positive Negative Question
I / he / she / it I was speaking. I was not speaking. Was I speaking?
you / we / they You were speaking. You were not speaking. Were you speaking?
Exceptions in Spelling
Exceptions in spelling when adding ing Example
come – coming
final e is dropped (but: ee is not changed)
(but: agree – agreeing)
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled sit – sitting
l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British English) travel – travelling
final ie becomes y lie – lying
Use of Past Progressive
puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past
Example: He was playing football.
two actions happening at the same time (in the past)
Example: While she was preparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.
action going on at a certain time in the past
Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.
Signal Words of Past Progressive
when, while, as long as
PAST PROGRESSIVE - USE
1) actions were in progress at special time in the past
Peter was reading a book yesterday evening.
2) two actions were happening at the same time (the actions do not influence each other)
Anne was writing a letter while Steve was reading the New York Times.
3) together with the Simple Past
While we were sitting at the breakfast table, the telephone rang.
4) repeated actions irritating the speaker (with always, constantly, forever)
Andrew was always coming late.
PAST PROGRESSIVE - SIGNAL WORDS - while
PAST PROGRESSIVE - FORM
to be (was, were) + infinitive + -ing
Past Progressive - Examples
Affirmative sentences:
I was playing football. You were playing football.
Negative sentences:
I was not playing football.
I was't playing football. You were not playing football.
You weren't playing football.
Questions:
Was I playing football? Were you playing football?
EXERCISE ON PAST PROGRESSIVE
WAS OR WERE
Decide whether to use 'was' or 'were'.
Boris was learning English.
They _____________ (swim) in the lake.
Your father_____________ (repair) the car.
I _____________ (read) a magazine.
You _____________ (pack) your bag.
My friends _____________ (watch) the match on TV.
It _____________ (rain).
The dog _____________ (bark).
The children _____________ (brush) their teeth.
Anne and Maureen _____________ (sing) a song.
Boris was learning English.
They were swimming in the lake.
Your father was repairing the car.
I was reading a magazine.
You were packing your bag.
My friends were watching the match on TV.
It was raining.
The dog was barking.
The children were brushing their teeth.
Anne and Maureen were singing a song.
POSITIVE SENTENCES
Yesterday at 3 pm the following people were in the middle of an action.
Write positive sentences in past progressive.
you / play / cards _______________________________________
Alice / walk / around the lake _______________________________________
Caron / listen / to the radio _______________________________________
we / read / a book about Australia _______________________________________
Linda / look for / her ring _______________________________________
Fiona and Sam / visit / the castle _______________________________________
Ben / wash / the car _______________________________________
Kim and I / wait / in the park _______________________________________
My sister / feed / the birds _______________________________________
Greg and Phil / count / their money _______________________________________
You were playing cards.
Alice was walking around the lake.
Caron was listening to the radio.
We were reading a book about Australia.
Linda was looking for her ring.
Fiona and Sam were visiting the castle.
Ben was washing the car.
Kim and I were waiting in the park.
My sister was feeding the birds.
Greg and Phil were counting their money
