Изучаем English Unit 6. Past continuous (I was doing).
Unit 6; Part A
Study this example situation:
Yesterday Karen and Jim played tennis. They began at 10 o'clock and finished at 11.30.
So, at 10.30 they were playing tennis.
They were playing = they were in the middle of playing. They had not finished playing.
Was/were -ing is the past continuous:
| I/he/she/it was we/you/they were | playing doing working etc. |
Unit 6; Part B
I was doing something = I was in the middle of doing something at ace/tain time. The action or situation had already started before thistime, but had not finished: |
| • This time last year I was living in Brazil. • What were you doing at 10 o'clock last night? • I waved to Helen, but she wasn't looking. |
Unit 6; Part C
Compare the past continuous (I was doing) and past simple (I did):| Past continuous (in the middle of an action) • I was walking home when I met Dave. (in the middle of an action) • Kate was watching television when we arrived. | Past simple (complete action) • I walked home after the party last night. (= all the way, completely) • Kate watched television a lot when she was ill last year. |
Unit 6; Part D
We often use the past simple and the past continuous together to say that something happened in the middle of something else:• Matt phoned while we were having dinner.
• It was raining when I got up.
• I saw you in the park yesterday. You were sitting on the grass and reading a book.
• I hurt my back while I was working in the garden.
But we use the past simple to say that one thing happened after another:
• I was walking along the road when I saw Dave. So I stopped, and we had a chat.
Compare:| • When Karen arrived, we were having dinner. (= we had already started before she arrived) | • When Karen arrived, we had dinner. (= Karen arrived, and then we had dinner) |
Unit 6; Part E
Some verbs (for example, know and want) are not normally used in the continuous (see Unit 4A):• We were good friends. We knew each other well. (not We were knowing)
• I was enjoying the party, but Chris wanted to go home. (not was wanting)
Exercises
What were you doing at these times? Writesentences as in the examples. The past continuous is not alwaysnecessary (see the second example).Key.Example answers:
3 I was working.
4 I was in bed asleep.
5 I was getting ready to go out.
6 I was watching TV at home.
1 (at 8 o'clock yesterday evening) I was having dinner.
2 (at 5 o'clock last Monday) I was on a bus on my way home.
3 (at 10.15 yesterday morning) _______________________________
4 (at 4.30 this morning) _______________________________
5 (at 7.45 yesterday evening) _______________________________
6 (half an hour ago) _______________________________
Use your own ideas to complete the sentences. Use the past continuous.Key.Example answers:
2 was having a shower
3 were waiting for the bus
4 was reading the paper
5 was watching it
1 Matt phoned while we were having dinner .
2 The doorbell rang while I __________________.
3 We saw an accident while we __________________.
4 Ann fell asleep while she __________________.
5 The television was on, but nobody __________________.
| Put the verb into the correct form, past continuous or past simple. Key.1 didn't see ... was looking 2 met ... were going ... was going ... had ... were waiting / waited 3 was cycling ... stepped ... was going ... managed ... didn't hit  |
Put the verb into the correct form, past continuous or past simple.Key.2 were you doing
3 Did you go
4 were you driving ... happened
5 took ... wasn't looking
6 didn't know
7 saw ... was trying
8 was walking ... heard ... was following ... started
9 wanted
10 dropped ... was doing ... didn't break
1 Jenny was waiting (wait) for me when I arrived (arrive).
2 'What _______________ (you / do) at this time yesterday?'
'I was asleep.'
3 '_______________ (you / go) out last night?'
'No, I was too tired.'
4 How fast _______________ (you / drive) when the accident _______________ (happen)?
5 Sam _______________ (take) a photograph of me while I _______________ (not / look).
6 We were in a very difficult position. We _______________ (not / know) what to do.
7 I haven't seen Alan for ages. When I last _______________ (see) him, he _______________ (try) to find a job.
8 I _______________ (walk) along the street when suddenly I_______________ (hear) footsteps behind me. Somebody _______________(follow) me. I was scared and I _______________ (start) to run.
9 When I was young, I _______________ (want) to be a pilot.
10 Last night I _______________ (drop) a plate when I _______________(do) the washing up. Fortunately it _______________ (not / break).
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