Past Continuous Tense
BasicPast continuous.
- Past continuous = was/were + verb-ing, for actions in progress in the past
- while + longer action · when + short interrupting action: While I was copying my notes, the lights went out.
- Two simultaneous actions: Dad was talking while Mum was putting a towel.
文體小知識：An action in progress at a past moment.
§Text Passage
1Last night, a heavy rainstorm hit Hong Kong suddenly. At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test in my room. My parents were watching the news in the living room, and the wind was howling outside. While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out. My little sister was sleeping, but the thunder woke her up. The past continuous describes an action in progress at a time in the past.
2When the lights came back, we found water dripping from the kitchen window. Dad was talking to the building manager on the phone while Mum was putting a towel under the window. At about 9 p.m., I was helping my sister dry the floor with old newspapers. The rain was still beating against the windows, and the streets below were shining like rivers. Nobody could sleep until the storm stopped.
3The next morning, the sky was clear, and it was hard to believe how wild the night had been. Only twelve hours earlier, at 8 p.m., we were all busy fighting the storm, but now everything felt calm again. The past continuous often works with was or were plus a verb-ing form. We use when before a short action that interrupts, and while before a longer action. My sister says she was dreaming about sunshine while the storm was shaking our building.
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
Last night, a heavy rainstorm hit Hong Kong suddenly.
昨晚，一場大暴雨突然襲擊香港。
At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test in my room.
晚上八時，我正在房間溫習數學測驗。
My parents were watching the news in the living room, and the wind was howling outside.
爸媽正在客廳看新聞，外面狂風呼嘯。
While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out.
我抄筆記的時候，燈光突然熄滅。
My little sister was sleeping, but the thunder woke her up.
妹妹正在睡覺，但雷聲把她吵醒了。
The past continuous describes an action in progress at a time in the past.
過去進行式描述過去某個時間正在進行的動作。
When the lights came back, we found water dripping from the kitchen window.
電力恢復後，我們發現廚房窗戶有水滲進來。
Dad was talking to the building manager on the phone while Mum was putting a towel under the window.
爸爸正打電話給大廈管理員，媽媽則把毛巾墊在窗下。
At about 9 p.m., I was helping my sister dry the floor with old newspapers.
大約晚上九時，我正在幫妹妹用舊報紙抹乾地板。
The rain was still beating against the windows, and the streets below were shining like rivers.
雨仍拍打著窗戶，樓下的街道像河流一樣閃亮。
Nobody could sleep until the storm stopped.
暴風雨停下來之前，誰也睡不著。
The next morning, the sky was clear, and it was hard to believe how wild the night had been.
第二天早上，天空放晴，很難相信昨晚的天氣有多狂野。
Only twelve hours earlier, at 8 p.m., we were all busy fighting the storm, but now everything felt calm again.
就在十二小時前、晚上八時，我們還在忙著應付風暴，但現在一切又平靜了。
The past continuous often works with was or were plus a verb-ing form.
過去進行式通常由 was 或 were 加動詞-ing 組成。
We use when before a short action that interrupts, and while before a longer action.
我們在打斷動作的短動作前用 when，在較長的動作前用 while。
My sister says she was dreaming about sunshine while the storm was shaking our building.
妹妹說，風暴搖晃我們大廈的時候，她正夢見陽光。
1Summary 重點摘要
Past continuous.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
was/were + -ing.
Happening then.
Short action.
Two long actions.
Specific time.
I/he/she/it was.
You/we/they were.
Short stops long.
3Step by step Steps
- was/wereI/he/she/it → was; you/we/they → were: At 8 p.m., I was revising. My parents were watching the news.
- verb-ingAfter was/were the verb always takes -ing: I was watching (never was watch); They were playing (never were play).
- when/whilewhen + short action (interrupts); while + long action: While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out.
- A past momentIn progress at that exact moment: At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test in my room. The wind was howling outside.
- when interruptsThe short action cuts into the long one: While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out — copying is long, went out is short.
- while in parallelTwo long actions together: Dad was talking to the building manager while Mum was putting a towel under the window.
- Setting the sceneOpenings depend on it: Last night, a heavy rainstorm hit Hong Kong suddenly… the wind was howling outside.
- Golden sentenceMy sister says she was dreaming about sunshine while the storm was shaking our building — two was…ing actions side by side.
4Diagrams Diagrams
5Worked example Example
Based on the passage, use the past continuous to describe what your family was doing during the rainstorm, linking actions with when and while.
- Step 1: Structure = was/were + verb-ing — At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test.
- Step 2: Use while for the longer action — While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out.
- Step 3: Use when for the short action that interrupts — My little sister was sleeping when the thunder woke her up.
- Step 4: Two actions happening together both take the past continuous — Dad was talking on the phone while Mum was putting a towel under the window.
- Step 5: Check the pairs — I/he/she/it → was; you/we/they → were
- Answer: At 8 p.m., I was revising for my Maths test while my parents were watching the news, and the wind was howling outside. While I was copying my notes, the lights suddenly went out, and my little sister was sleeping when the thunder woke her up. Dad was talking to the building manager on the phone while Mum was putting a towel under the window. At about 9 p.m., I was helping my sister dry the floor with old newspapers. We were all busy fighting the storm that night.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1How to form it?
Q2What is while?
Q3What is when?
Q4Which verb for I?
Q5Which verb for they?
8Recap Recap
- Past continuous = was/were + verb-ing, for actions in progress in the past
- while + longer action · when + short interrupting action: While I was copying my notes, the lights went out.
- Two simultaneous actions: Dad was talking while Mum was putting a towel.
- Pairs: I/he/she/it → was; you/we/they → were
- A fixed past moment: At 8 p.m., I was revising. — in progress at that moment