1. Grammar in Context 2 Chapter 6
Simple Past and Past Continuous Verb Tenses with Time Clauses

2. How to Form – Past Continuous Tense
I was ___________ + ing
She/He/It was ___________ + ing
You/We/They were ___________ + ing
I was walking.
You were sleeping.
He was eating.
She was singing.
It was raining.
We were shopping.
They were running.

3. Past Continuous Verb Tense
We often use the Past Continuous Verb Tense in a sentence that has 2 clauses. One clause will have the Past Continuous and the other clause will have a time clause.
I was driving when I hit the tree.
He was dreaming about chocolate while his mom was baking his birthday cake.

4. Past Continuous Verb
When using the past continuous verb tense – you chose it because there is an ongoing action that took a length of time in the past, or if there were two actions then one was longer so that one is described with the past continuous verb tense.
I was walking home when I tripped and fell.
Walking home might take 10 minutes but it only took a second to trip, and a second to fall.

5. Past Continuous Verb
We use the past continuous to describe a scene that happened in the past.
I was working hard. I was making cookies, baking bread and singing songs when I dropped the telephone into the sink of water.

6. When + While + Until – Time Words
Use When to show an interruption to the ongoing action
I was walking home when I tripped.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~X xo
longer action short action
Use While to show that two ongoing actions were taking place at the same time.
I was sleeping while my mom was baking bread.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

7. Until Until--one action stops or changes another action.
I wasn’t worrying until I heard that the test was today. (not worrying stopped, now I am worrying)
He was sleeping until his parents came home and started watching tv. (he couldn’t sleep anymore because the tv was too loud)

8. When vs Until When – at that time OR after that time X X
Until – before that time (the action then stops and changes) 

9. When vs While
When describing a state of being e.g. to be upset, to be happy then use “when” not while.
I was happy when you gave me the love letter.
I was angry when you hit me.
When and While can both be used for actions in the past that took a length of time (duration).
- When/While you were playing, I was working.
But if you want to show that one action was longer than the other use the past continuous in the main clause only for the longer action.
I was working when you went out to play.

10. When vs Whenever When – at that time or after that time.
Whenever – each time it happens. (which is almost the same as “at that time” just a subtle difference)
Whenever you were late, I worried.
When you were late, I worried. (could be one time, or could be habitual past describing a repeated situation)
Whenever the bells rang, I ran to class. (happened many times and each time I ran)
When the bells rang, I ran to class. (happened one time)

11. PUNCTUATION! If the time clause is first then use a comma!
While he was riding his bike home, his teacher was talking to his mother about his homework.
When you called, I was shopping at the mall.
Questions! When two clauses only the main clause has the verb order inverted (reversed subject verb) – the time clause just has regular word order.
Was I snoring when you came home?
Were you working late while I was having fun?

12. Verb -- to Be
Don’t use Past Continuous for the verb to be – the continuous is understood.
E.g. no such thing as:
“I was being at work when you called”.
Should be:
“I was at work when you called.”

13. Time & If Clauses with the Future Tense

14. Time with Present Participles

15. More Time Words!

16. Exercises – Yeah time to work!
Make sure you read the readings about Einstein p. 142 and the Canadian Education System p
Exercises #3, 4, & 5 answers only
Exercise #6 all
Exercise #7 answers only
Exercise #8 – 1 – 3 only
Exercise #9 all
Exercises #11 & #12 answers only
Exercises #13 & #14 do 1 – 4 for each
Exercise #15 answers only
Exercise #16 write out whole new sentence