Grammar Basics: Unit 13 – Past Continuous

To form the past continuous, use the appropriate past tense form of the verb “be,” plus the –ing form of the verb:

I am –ing ==> I was –ing
you are –ing ==> you were –ing
he / she / it is –ing ==> he / she / it was –ing
we are –ing ==> we were –ing
they are –ing ==> they were –ing

Examples:

I’m reading the newspaper.
==> I was reading the newspaper.

You’re sleeping!
==> You were sleeping!

He’s studying for tomorrow’s exam.
==> He was studying for tomorrow’s exam.

The baby’s sleeping.
==> The baby was sleeping.

We’re leaving. ==> We were leaving.

They’re outside playing in the sandbox.
==> They were outside playing in the sandbox.

Negations are made the same way as for the past tense of the verb “be”:

I was –ing ==> I was not (wasn’t) –ing
you were –ing ==> you were not (weren’t) –ing
he / she / it was –ing ==> he / she / it was not (wasn’t) –ing
we were –ing ==> we were not (weren’t) –ing
they were –ing ==> they were not (weren’t) –ing

Examples:

I’m reading the newspaper.
==> I wasn’t reading the newspaper.

You’re sleeping!
==> You weren’t sleeping!

He’s studying for tomorrow’s exam.
==> He wasn’t studying for tomorrow’s exam.

The baby’s sleeping.
==> The baby wasn’t sleeping.

We’re leaving.
==> We weren’t leaving.

They’re outside playing in the sandbox.
==> They weren’t outside playing in the sandbox.

Questions are made the same way as for the past tense of the verb “be”:

I was –ing ==> Was I –ing…?
you were –ing ==> Were you –ing…?
he / she / it was –ing ==> Was he / she / it –ing…?
we were –ing ==> Were we –ing…?
they were –ing ==> Were they –ing…?

Examples:

I’m reading the newspaper.
==> Was I reading the newspaper?

You’re sleeping!
==> Were you sleeping?

He’s studying for tomorrow’s exam.
==> Was he studying for tomorrow’s exam?

The baby’s sleeping.
==> Was the baby sleeping?

We’re leaving.
==> Were we leaving?

They’re outside playing in the sandbox.
==> Were they outside playing in the sandbox?

Questions can also have a negative form:

I was –ing ==> Was I not // Wasn’t I –ing…?
you were –ing ==> Were you not // Weren’t you –ing…?
he / she / it was –ing ==> Was he / she / it not // Wasn’t he / she / it –ing…?
we were –ing ==> Were we not // Weren’t we –ing…?
they were –ing ==> Were they not // Weren’t they –ing…?

Note:

Like before, this negative question form is expecting a confirmation: Yes, S was / were –ing. ….

Examples:

I’m reading the newspaper.
==> Wasn’t I reading the newspaper?

You’re sleeping!
==> Weren’t you sleeping?

He’s studying for tomorrow’s exam.
==> Wasn’t he studying for tomorrow’s exam?

The baby’s sleeping.
==> Wasn’t the baby sleeping?

We’re leaving.
==> Weren’t we leaving?

They’re outside playing in the sandbox.
==> Weren’t they outside playing in the sandbox?

Exercises: For the following sentences, convert to past continuous. Then, put the past continuous into question form. Finally, put it in past negative question form.

Example:
She is sweeping the porch. ==>
She was sweeping the porch.
Was she sweeping the porch?
Wasn’t she sweeping the porch?

1. He is doing his homework.

2. The cat is acting crazy.

3. Mother is washing clothes in the basement.

4. Father is mowing the lawn.

5. I am taking a bath.

6. We are having pork chops for dinner.

7. You are lying!

8. It is snowing heavily.

9. I am talking on the phone.

10. The bird is sitting on the fence over there.

11. The twins are swimming in the pool.

12. We are drinking iced tea to keep cool.

13. We are practicing for next week’s concert.

14. He is writing a letter to Santa Claus.

15. Thousands of people are dying in Africa from famine.