1. Past Continuous FORM: was/were + gerund (vb.+-ing)

2. My father (cut) _______ the grass at weekend.

3. My father was cutting the grass at weekend.

4. Clara and Joe (eat) _______ a hamburger and an ice – cream.

5. Clara and Joe were eating a hamburger and an ice – cream.

6. USE 1: Interrupted Action in the Past USE 2: Specific Time as an interruption USE 3: Parallel Actions

7. USE 1: Interrupted Action in the Past Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past.

8. EXAMPLES: I was watching a film when she opened the door. When the bell rang, she was writing a poem. While we were having a sandwitch, it started to snow.

9. USE 2: Specific Time as an interruption In USE 1 the Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the Simple Past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

10. EXAMPLES: Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner. At midnight, we were still driving through the desert. Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.

11. IMPORTANT: Time complements In the Simple Past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the Past Continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action. Last night at 6 PM, I ate dinner. (I started eating at 6 PM) Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner. (I started earlier; and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner)

12. USE 3: Parallel Actions When you use the Past Continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.

13. EXAMPLES: I was studying while he was making dinner. While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.

14. When Simple Past While Past Continuous Study the examples below. They have similar meanings, but they emphasize different parts of the sentence. I was studying when she called. While I was studying, she called.

16. Let’s gopractice!!!Let’s gopractice!!! Make a compound sentence for each picture using WHILE / WHEN

18. Sarah and Paul were reading when the telephone rang

19. KNOCK

20. Arguiñano was cooking when Ronaldo knocked at the door

22. Villa was playing football while Casillas was reading a newspaper

24. The cat was sleeping while the monkey was painting

26. He was skiing when he broke his leg

28. She was watching TV while the monkey was writing a letter

30. Winnie and his friends were having a picnic when it started to rain

32. They were having a meeting/working when the phone rang

34. Nadal was biting the trophy while Federer was crying

36. Fernando Alonso was driving when Hamilton crashed his car

38. Elsa pataki was having an ice-cream while “El Duque” was dinking a glass of wine

40. He was listening to music when an earthquake started

42. He was watching TV while eating chicken legs and drinking coke

44. The sheep was watching TV when the alligartors appeared through a hole on the ground

46. They were writing a letter while the Teddy Bear was watering the plants

47. The end