TELL OFF

CHAT UP

LOOK AFTER

PUT UP WITH

LOOK UP

GIVE UP

SHOW OFF

TAKE OFF

PUT OUT

RUN OUT OF

What were you doing on Mondayat 6 p.m.?

On Monday someone robbed a shopping centre at 6 p.m.

The PAST CONTINUOUS – Positive form

I was eating

You were eating

He / She / It was eating

We were eating

You were eating

They were eating

The PAST CONTINUOUS – Negative form

I wasn’t eating or I was not eating

You weren’t eating or You were not eating

He / She / It wasn’t eating or He / She / It was not eating

We weren’t eating or We were not eating

You weren’t eating or You were not eating

They weren’t eating or They were not eating

The PAST CONTINUOUS – Interrogative form

Was I eating?

Were you eating?

Was he / she / it eating?

Were we eating?

Were you eating?

Were they eating?

We were having dinner at 8:30.

Quando si usa?

Il Past Continuous si usa per parlare di azioni in corso in un determinato momento nel passato (in quel momento l’azione era iniziata ma non era ancora finita).

Che cosa facevi / stavi facendo ieri alle 6 di pomeriggio?Studiavo / Stavo studiando diritto.

Esempi:

What were you doing yesterday at 6 p.m.?I was studying Law.

Alle 8:30 stavamo cenando.

Spesso in una stessa frase si possono trovare sia il Past Simple che il Past Continuous.

Questo avviene per indicare che si è verificata un’azione nel passato mentre un’altra era in corso di svolgimento.

Il Past Continuous si usa per descrivere l’azione in corso, mentre il Past Simple per descrivere l’azione conclusa (ovvero l’azione breve che generalmente interrompe l’azione in corso).

Esempi:

I was having a shower when the phone rang.Stavo facendo la doccia quando è squillato il telefono.

When the teacher arrived, Paul and Sara were arguing.Quando è arrivato l’insegnante, Paul e Sara stavano litigando.

I met Tom while I was jogging in the park.

She saw me when I was walking in Grafton Street.

Ho incontrato Tom mentre correvo nel parco.

Mi ha visto quando stavo camminando in Grafton Street.

As I was working on my PC, I spilt tea over the keyboard.

Mentre lavoravo al PC, ho versato del té sulla tastiera.

WHEN + past simple, + past continuous

WHEN

WHILE

AS

(=mentre)

When the teacher arrived, Paul and Sara were arguing.

(=mentre)

+ past continuous, + past simple

When Paul and Sara were arguing, the teacher arrived.While Paul and Sara were arguing, the teacher arrived.As Paul and Sara were arguing, the teacher arrived.

When the teacher arrived, Paul and Sara were arguing.

When Paul and Sara were arguing, the teacher arrived.

While Paul and Sara were arguing, the teacher arrived.

As Paul and Sara were arguing, the teacher arrived.

Paul and Sara were arguing when the teacher arrived.

The teacher arrived when Paul and Sara were arguing.The teacher arrived while Paul and Sara were arguing.

The teacher arrived as Paul and Sara were arguing.

When she arrived they were having dinner.