Past Progressive/Continuous

PAST CONTINUOUS/PROGRESSIVE

We make present progressive verbs with BE (was, were) + VERBing

HOW TO MAKE –ING FORMS:

• most verbs: work + ing = working
• verbs ending in –e: make + ing=making
• -ie changes to y + ing: lie- lying
• one vowel + one consonant= double consonant + ing: stop + ing = stopping
• two vowels: don't double: sleep + ing = sleeping
• two consonats: don't double: help + ing = helping
• only double in stressed syllables: beGIN + ing = beginning BUT HAPpen + ing = happening

USE

1) to say what was (not) happening around (before, at and after) a past time: What were you doing at 8.00. Were you watching TV?

HOW TO MAKE QUESTIONS:

Was/were + subject + verbing

What were all the children singing?

HOW TO MAKE NEGATIVES:

Subject + was/were + not + verbing

I wasn't watching TV.