Questions tagged [past-continuous]
Questions related to the past continuous or past progressive, which expresses an action that was ongoing in the past.
156
questions
2
votes
2answers
267 views
doubt between Past Continuous and Past Simple
In the book English Grammar In Use by Raymond Murphy they gave the example for Past Continuous - ´Today Helen is wearing a skirt. Yesterday she was wearing trousers´. Please explain to me why it isn´t ...
2
votes
2answers
41 views
Before the party: Question about the past perfect continuous tense
I am trying to understand better the correct way to use the past perfect continuous tense. In particular, what is the difference between:
Before the party, he had been telling everyone how happy he ...
0
votes
2answers
35 views
was or did? What do I need to use?
I was reading poetry.
or
I did reading poetry.
What the option is right and why?
0
votes
1answer
37 views
The difference between Past Simple vs Past Continuous vs Used to & every day
Which tense should I use if I was on holidays which lasted 2 weeks and during that time I rode a bike every day?
It was a great time because I rode a bike every day.
It was a great time ...
3
votes
2answers
64 views
Difference between Past continuous and Past perfect continuous
In these following sentences, which one is grammatically correct?
They were playing football since 10 o'clock.
They had been playing football since 10 o'clock.
According to this reference ...
1
vote
3answers
33 views
What is the difference in meaning between the grammar structure “it is nice doing something” and “it is nice to be doing something”?
What is the differnce in meaning between the following sentences?
It is nice working with John.
It is nice to be working with John.
0
votes
0answers
14 views
The difference between the past simple and the past continuous in context [duplicate]
Tell me please the difference in meaning between the following sentences.
I watched TV while Kate did the dishes.
I was watching while Kate was doing the dishes.
Help me please to see the ...
-1
votes
2answers
572 views
What is the difference between “he was saying”, “he says” and “he said”?
Are there any shades of meaning between the use of the past continuous, present simple and past simple in the following sentences?
He was saying that he is going to leave soon.
He says that he ...
0
votes
1answer
22 views
Past continuous and simple past
Yesterday Sue was walking along the road when she met James. He ......... (go) to the station to catch a train and he was carrying a bag. They stopped to talk for a few minutes.
Which one is correct ,...
2
votes
2answers
42 views
Should you use a plain/continuous verb after a past continuous one? E.g. 'I was feeling the fear rise/rising up…'
As an example to illustrate my question:
I was feeling the fear rise up, trying to stop me, when...
I was feeling the fear rising up, trying to stop me, when...
I'm not sure what this type of ...
1
vote
1answer
60 views
“spied” vs “was spying”
I'm studying Barron's 504 absolutely essential words and came across this sentence:
"When the bank guard spied the sinister-looking customer, he drew his
gun"
but it seems odd to me..we are ...
0
votes
2answers
28 views
past simple vs past progressive
Yesterday Sue ____________ (walk) down the street when she met James. He was going to the station to catch a train, and he was carrying a bag. They stopped to talk for a few minutes.
The correct ...
1
vote
1answer
123 views
“where did you sit” vs. “where were you sitting”
I'm a little confused about the difference between this two sentences. Can you explain the exact meaning and all differences between this two?
Where did you sit last section?
Where were you ...
0
votes
2answers
50 views
usage of 'while' and 'when'
I met many interesting people while I was living in Vancouver.
Can I change the sentence above to the sentences below? Do they have slightly different meanings?
I met many interesting people when ...
0
votes
1answer
42 views
difference between past simple and past continuous - when I called her
When I called her, she was studying.
I know what it means.
When I called her, she studied.
But does the second sentence mean she started studying when I called her?
2
votes
1answer
31 views
past simple and past continuous - that summer
He was staying in Rome that summer.
He stayed in Rome that summer.
Can I use the two sentences above interchangeably? Or do they have slightly different meanings?
0
votes
2answers
85 views
Past tenses of Scuba-diving
Are these two sentences correct?
A. Past continuous: We were mainly Scuba-Diving while we were there.
B. Past Simple: Last week we Scuba-dove?
1
vote
1answer
20 views
Which tense should be used in this situation?
I am confused about what tense I should use in this situation.
He ______ (can) picture his brother's face more clearly now, because he had saved the life of a fourteen-year-old boy, who remarkably ...
1
vote
1answer
64 views
drove or was driving?
Is it true that if I say "Joe got a ticket because he drove too fast", this means that Joe drove too fast as a habit and instead I should say "Joe got a ticket because he was driving too fast"?
Is ...
1
vote
1answer
61 views
Why using the past continuous tense when the action has already finished?
Past continuous tense
The past continuous describes actions or events in a time before now,
which began in the past and is still going on at the time of speaking.
In other words, it expresses ...
3
votes
1answer
46 views
“Words were different when they (lived / were living) inside of you”
“Words were different when they lived inside of you.”
― Benjamin Alire Sáenz, Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.
Shouldn't it be "...when they were living inside of you."?...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
Past Progressive + BEFORE/AFTER + Gerund
Tom Cruise was thinking of a career in the church before finding job in the movies.
Tom Cruise wasn't thinking of a career in the church after finding job in the movies.
Please tell me, why is ...
-3
votes
1answer
149 views
weren't going vs didn't go [duplicate]
I already asked a question about “weren’t playing” vs. “didn’t play”. I’m not sure if the same rules apply in an example like this one:
The weather was very bad, so we didn't go north.
vs
The ...
6
votes
2answers
1k views
weren't playing vs didn't play
Did your team win the football match yesterday?
The weather was very bad, so we weren't playing.
vs
The weather was very bad, so we didn't play.
Is the first one not correct? Why is it?
1
vote
1answer
56 views
past simple/continuous with a specific time
I was driving too fast last night.
I drove too fast last night.
I want to know if the past simple and continuous can both be used in this case, because usually the past continuous is used for ...
1
vote
1answer
25 views
Equality of continuous and perfect tenses (in a certain context)
Would they be both correct and equal in the same context (just to mention the fact) if I said TODAY:
(1)It has been raining all day.
(2)It is raining all day.
Would they be both correct and ...
1
vote
1answer
33 views
Can I use past continuous here?
A:..Then I sent you a message from the cafe to to say where I was
last night.
B: I didn't get any texts from you yesterday! I tried to phone
you but there was no answer.
I have two ...
1
vote
1answer
25 views
Past Continuous with while
The sentence:
The boy stole / was stealing the apples while nobody was looking / looked.
Question: Which variant is more appropriate?
2
votes
1answer
81 views
Past Simple Passive vs Past Simple with 'follow'
Here is an extract from my grammar practice book.
A young man was walking through a supermarket. Suddenly he noticed that
he (follow) by an old lady.
As far as I understand, in that situation we ...
0
votes
0answers
54 views
Past Simple VS Past Continuous(within the period of time in the past)
Alexander Fleming became interested in the control of bacteria while he was working as a doctor during the First World War.
This summer the pool worked only from June till August.
I wonder, doesn't ...
1
vote
1answer
46 views
Past Continuous vs Past Simple difference in meaning
Could you, please, help me understand this dialogue from my English textbook?
A: Why was Ann crying before?
B: She had been training for the finals for over a week before she found out she had ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
Is “I was wanting to know” grammatically correct? [duplicate]
Is the following sentence grammatically correct:
I was wanting to know if I could sent you a link.
It does not sound correct to me.
1
vote
1answer
28 views
“the thing someone did was do something” or “the thing someone did was doing something”?
Here is what I have found in Crash Course US history at 13 minute and 4 second, and it really confused me.
Whereas if you are an american arguably the most important thing the leader of this era ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
Past Simple and Past Perfect. “I had seen” or “I saw” him a few days before he left
Yesterday I saw this sentence in some test without any context:
I ... (see) him a few days before he ... (leave).
My answer was "I'd seen him a few days before he left", but it was wrong.
Right ...
0
votes
1answer
63 views
using past continuous tense with tomorrow
What does this mean?
like I wasn't dreading tomorrow enough having to give it back to him
I saw this in friend's series and I don't understand it.
0
votes
1answer
58 views
Why did the author use past continuous in that sentence
I came from a scene that is more punk than the garage scene. The first concerts I was going to were punk, like at the MIROITRIE.for a year Then I went to Canada for a year
Why "was going"? Why past ...
0
votes
1answer
50 views
past continuous or present perfect continuous
If I play football since I was eight years old and still I am playing football I should say I have been playing football since I was eight.
But if I started playing football when I was eight and then ...
1
vote
1answer
101 views
it is possible to combine present perfect continuous and past perfect continuous in a sentence?
Can we describe a continuous action after/before another continuous action in the same sentence using different continuous tenses?
For instance something like that:
Before I have been reading ...
2
votes
1answer
108 views
How to express something that is happening in the future
If something is being written in the past tense, is it correct to say:
He was graduating high school in June and entering college in August?
How should it be stated?
3
votes
1answer
37 views
Past Perfect Continuous vs Past Continuous difference in meaning
In my grammar text book there is a sentence describing Past Perfect vs Past Perfect Continuous difference. I understand the difference between those two tenses, but there is another thing that makes ...
1
vote
2answers
100 views
Past Perfect Continuous vs Past Continuous/Past Simple
Doing a grammar task I found this:
A: Did you go out last night?
B: No, 1) _____(work) all day, so I 2) _____(stay) in and 3) _____(watch) TV.
The key says that the only option here is
1) had been ...
1
vote
1answer
41 views
is the past continuous with a duration better than the past perfect continuous in that case?
I was looking for him for 8 hours when I have found him
I had been looking for him for 8 hours when I have found him
Are both sentences equivalent in meaning? I think the second one stress the ...
3
votes
1answer
871 views
I was meeting vs. I met
I was meeting some friends at a bar.
I met some friends at a bar.
was meeting - past continuous
met - simple past
In my opinion, I prefer to use the latter sentence because I don't normally hear ...
1
vote
2answers
737 views
Past Progressive and Simple Past with the Time Clause (While)
While he was taking a shower, his dogs were eating his steaks.
(That is the correct sentence according to the website that I visited.)
We use the past progressive with the past progressive to show ...
1
vote
1answer
1k views
I was going to say
Joe: Y’know, I don’t think that people really appreciate their parents until they get older. I mean, at least I can say that about
myself. And I think it’s true of, y’know, here in America.
...
2
votes
3answers
229 views
Why wasn't “When I was in Sharm El-Sheikh, I *have sunbathed* a lot” a good answer?
When I was in Sharm El-Sheikh, I .... a lot
A) Have sunbathed B) Was sunbathing C) Would sunbathe D) Sunbathed
why it can't be "have sunbathed" as verb sunbathe means to make the skin brown or ...
0
votes
1answer
90 views
is there any difference between saw or was seeing in this example?
If someone was treated by a psychiatrist, is there any difference between : He saw a psychiatrist or he was seeing a psychiatrist? Can either be used?
2
votes
2answers
164 views
past simple, past continuous and past perfect continuous
Am I correct?
Yesterday lunchtime we had a bust-up.
This is just stating a fact. The bust-up happened at lunchtime.
Yesterday lunchtime we had been having a bust-up.
This is emphasizing the ...
2
votes
1answer
51 views
“When I was born my mother WORKED / WAS WORKING as a nurse” – interrupted event or…?
When I was born my mother worked as a nurse.
or
When I was born my mother was working as a nurse.
Is there any other difference than the job being permanent/temporary? Is this an example of an ...
0
votes
1answer
32 views
is the past simple possible here?
This is an example from a grammar book:
When I was learning to drive I was living with my parents.
Is it possible to say:
When I was learning to drive I lived with my parents?
Usually ...
