Se usa el pasado continuo:
- Para hablar sobre una acción no terminada en un punto del pasadoHe was playing football at half past four yesterday. (El estaba jugando fútbol a las cuatro y media ayer).
- Para hablar de 2 acciones -una siendo más larga que la otra que interumpe la acción anteriorI was cooking when the doorbell rang. (Estaba cocinando cuando alguien llamó a la puerta).
Hay que recordar que se puede usar when + pasado simple para hablar de 2 acciones consecutivas en el pasado:
I bought my ticket when the train arrived. (Compré mi billete cuando el tren llego).
Cuando se usa la palabra while (mientras) normalmente se usa el pasado continuo.
I listened to the news while I was driving. (Escuché las noticias mientras estaba conduciendo).
Important:
There are some verbs that can´t be used in the continuous form in English. Here´s a short list:
I bought my ticket when the train arrived. (Compré mi billete cuando el tren llego).
Cuando se usa la palabra while (mientras) normalmente se usa el pasado continuo.
I listened to the news while I was driving. (Escuché las noticias mientras estaba conduciendo).
Important:
There are some verbs that can´t be used in the continuous form in English. Here´s a short list:
- believe
- hear
- see
- sound
- understand
- want
- like
Como se forma el pasado continuo
Pasado continuo afirmativo:
Subject + was/were + present participle (verbo+ing)I+ was + reading. (Estaba leyendo)
Pasado continuo afirmativo:
Subject + was/were + present participle (verbo+ing)I+ was + reading. (Estaba leyendo)
Pasado continuo negativo:
Subject + wasn´t/weren´t + present participle
I wasn´t reading. (No estaba leyendo).
Pasado continuo interrogativo
Questions was/were + subject + present participle
Were you reading? (¿Estabas leyendo?)
Spelling Tips Subject + wasn´t/weren´t + present participle
I wasn´t reading. (No estaba leyendo).
Pasado continuo interrogativo
Questions was/were + subject + present participle
Were you reading? (¿Estabas leyendo?)
- To make the present participle add ‘ing’ : Finish --> finishing
- If the verb ends in one vowel and one consonant you need to double the consonant:
Stop --> stopping - If the verb ends in ‘e’ remove the ‘e’ before adding ‘ing’ : Take --> taking
- Practise making the present participle with these infinitives: cut, think, wash, wear, break, come, go, do, sit - click here for the correct answers
- Have a go at this exercise to practise using the past simple and continuous then click here for the correct answers
- I ................(read) a magazine when it ................(start) to rain.
- Some friends ……………..(arrive) while we …………….(watch) television.
- He …………….(cook) dinner when he ………….. (receive) a text message from his girlfriend.
- They …………….(play) football when the storm …………….(begin).
- What ……………………..(you/do) yesterday at 3 pm?
- ………………(you/study) when I ………………..(ring) you last night?
- He …………….(can) sleep because the baby …………..(cry).
- She……………(arrive) as the train was ……………….(leave) the station.
- The children ………..(listen) while the teacher ………..(explain) the answers.
- I…………….(listen) to the radio when I…………..(receive) your email.