We will continue to look at some common errors students made on the writing assignment and we will correct the past simple/past continuous tenses worksheets. We will also read about Tommy Prince together today and continue to work on the practice worksheets related to the reading.

Past Continuous or Past Progressive

*The past continuous is also called the Past Progressive.

How to form the Past Continuous

We form the past progressive with was or were and the ing-form of the verb.

Key words:  while  or  when 

Use of the Past Continuous

1. Shows that an action in the past lasted a long time.

Example: What were they doing yesterday?

2. If an action happened, while another action took place. We use the past simple for the short action and the past continuous for the long action.

Examples:
When Tom was cooking, he burnt his hand.
They came home when she was studying for the test.

3. Two long past actions happened at the same time. We use the past progressive for both actions.

Examples:
While I was repairing my bike, she was watering the flowers.
He was watching TV while she was reading a book.

More Information about Tommy Prince: