2. Why did the happened?
What accident happen?
ThisWhile he He is eighteen years old. He tookhis girlfriend
is John. was driving, he started to talk to his father’s car
because he phone and go out with his girlfriend.
on the wanted to he lost control.
While he was driving, he called his girlfriend and they
started to talk on the phone.
When she said something romantic to him,
he lost control and drove into another car.
While he was driving,
he started to talk to his girlfriend.
He was really upset and afraid. He called his father right
past
away. future
His father came very quickly. He was
worried about his son. As John was
now
explaining the accident to his father, he
started to cry and promised never to use
his mobile phone while driving again.
3. Use the past continuous tense to talk about an
When did he cry?
action in progress at a particular time in the past.
Past continuous
As John was explaining the accident to his
father, he started to cry…
As John was explaining the accident to his father,
he started to cry…
past future
now
4. We can also use the past continuous tense to describe two actions that
were happening at the same time in the past by inserting the word ‘while’.
While Joe was driving his father’s car, his father was
resting at home.
past now future
5. The form of the past continuous tense in affirmative and
negative sentences
While Ifatherwatching T.V.,was watchingcame in.
My was came in while I my father T.V.
S be + verb -ing O
wasn’t
I was not watching T.V.
contraction
negative
6. Question forms
What were you doing I was talking on the
Were youyou were
while driving fast? No, I was going slow.
phone.
driving?
7. Question forms
Were you driving fast? - No, I was going slow.
be S verb -ing
What were you doing? - I was talking on the
phone.
Question
be S verb -ing
word
8. The usage of the Past continuous tense in table form
Affirmative I / he / she / it was walking we / you / they were walking
Negative I / he / she / it wasn’t walking we / you / they weren’t walking
Question Was I / he / she / it walking? Were we / you / they walking?
Short Answer Yes, I / he / she / it was. Yes, we / you / they were.
No , I / he / she/ it wasn’t. No, we / you / they weren’t.
Do not use state verbs in the past
continuous tense!
I was understanding I understood
9. Write sentences with while or as by using the
prompts.
go to work- come across
While/ As she was going to work, she
came across her friends.
She was going to work when she came
across her friends.
10. Write sentences with while or as by using the
prompts.
study – electricity go out
While/ As she was studying, the
electricity went out.
She was studying when the
electricity went out.
11. Write sentences with while or as by using the
prompts.
break his leg – play soccer
He broke his leg while /as he was
playing soccer
When he broke his leg, he was
playing soccer.
