Foscari - Dipartimento di Scienze Ambientali, Informatica e Statistica

11 Past continuous
was / were + verb + ing
1 We use the past continuous to describe an event that was in progress when it was interrupted by
a shorter event. The past simple is used for the shorter completed event.
I met Jo when I was coming to work.
While I was surfing the Internet the boss walked in.
It also describes an event that was in progress around a particular past rime.
What were you doing at 4.00 p.m.?
I was taking part in a meeting.
We can use the past continuous to make tentative suggestions or requests.
I was wondering if you could help me with a problem?
I was thinking about taking next week off
2 The past continuous is not used to talk about past habits or to refer to how often something
happened.
We didn't sell many products in our first years of business.
I phoned them several times yesterday.
A Underline the correct form in italics.
1 I slept / was sleeping when the fire alarm went / was going off..
2 A: Then we went to the pub.
B: What did you do / were you doing after that?
3 We did / were doing business with them on a few occasions.
4 They lived / were living in Paris first, then Bonn and then they moved /were moving to Prague.
B Underline the correct tense in italics on the basis of the information in the sentence below.
1 I didn't know he used / was using Powerpoint.
(I didn't know he knew how to use Powerpoint,)
2 I left / was leaving the room when my boss came in.)
(I probably didn't want to see my boss.)
3 As I told / was telling you yesterday.
(I probably have something more to tell you.)
4 They asked me what I did / was doing.
(They wanted to know what my job was.)
12 Past perfect
had + past participle
1 We use the past perfect when we are already talking about the past and we want to talk about an
earlier past.
When I arrived at the casino I realized I had lost my keys.
We don't use the past perfect when we describe simultaneous or sequential events.
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