"Past Continius" - past long time. This is an analytical form that is formed using the auxiliary verb to be in the past tense ( was / were) and adding the -ing ending to the semantic verb.
When native speakers use Past Continuous
Native English speakers quite often use this time in their speech to express the long process that has taken place in the past. The beginning and end of an action does not matter because they are unknown. The only important thing is that the action is in the process, i.e. goes on.
An hour ago I was watching TV.
Unlike Russian, where it is customary to allocate only three tenses (present, future and past), the English language contains as many as 12. But at the initial stage of learning a foreign language, it is important to understand that it also essentially has three tenses. However, they have their own grammatical variations, which foreigners very long and painstakingly try to understand. In principle, there is nothing difficult in understanding the times of the English language. The main thing to remember is that, for example, the times of the Simple category are aimed at expressing constant and regularly repeating actions, the times of the Continuous category show the duration, the Perfect category emphasizes the final result.
The English system of times is more complex than the Russian, but it is more informative. English as a whole has a very clear and consistent structure. Indeed, this language has a clear word order, unlike Russian. As for the times, then the British have a suitable time for each case. They convey the semantic load of the sentence, using a certain time. The Russian language in this regard is less informative.
When is Past Continuous used?
Four cases of use of "Past Continius" are distinguished, the rules of use of which must be clearly known and understood. Students of English often make many mistakes when using tenses, often forget about auxiliary verbs, endings, etc. Mistakes with endings occur in Present Simple Tense when students forget to add endings to a third-person verb.
To avoid such errors, you need not memorize these rules, but only understand the logic of use. In this situation, the theme of English times will be mastered quickly and efficiently.
The first rule of using Past Continuous Tense
First, Past Continuous is used to show actions that lasted at a particular moment or period in the past.
We were writing for one hour.
It is important to note that, as a rule, in such proposals there are indications of the time of what is happening or the whole period. For example, one can see in sentences of the past long time such time-indicating words as: at 6 am (at 6 am), at 3 o`clock (at three o’clock), etc. Also, sentences may contain words indicating a period, such as while (while), whole day (all day), during morning or some time (during the morning or some time), etc.
It is important to note that state verbs are not used in Past and Present Continuous.
The second rule of use
Secondly, "Past Continius" is used to express actions that occurred in a certain period in the past, those. a situation that lasted a short period of time in the past. This period of time is usually specified in sentences.
He was studying literature in winter.
The third rule of use
Thirdly, Past Continius, examples of which can be found in this article, is also used in situations that express individual plans of a person in the past, but for some reason they did not happen.
I was hoping to go to Canada. I was hoping to go to Canada.
The fourth rule of use
Fourth, "Past Continius" is used to express a negative attitude towards other people's habits, etc. As a rule, such sentences are most often called emotionally colored. They can be accompanied by words such as always (always), often (often), constantly (constantly).
All the additional intricacies of using "Past Continius": suggestions with examples
In addition to the clear rules for using this time, there are some more situations where it should be used. When can we still use Past Continius?
This time is used if a person speaks of two parallel actions, i.e. occurring simultaneously in the past. As a rule, such actions are connected by unions: and (and) and while (while). It should be noted that n and one of the parallel actions of the proposal is not background for the rest.
I was sleeping while my mother was cooking breakfast for me and my father / While I was sleeping, my mother cooked breakfast with my father.
An interesting fact is that Past Continuous and Past Simple are often used together to express interruption to others. Unclear? Then we give a very striking example.
I was reading the book, when somebody knocked in the door / I read a book when someone rang the doorbell.
As a rule, such actions are connected by the unions when (when), before (before), while (while), untill (not yet). In an informal conversation , when is used instead of while .
It is also important to note that Past Continuous is in most cases used in fiction: in stories and stories. This time is used to fully describe the atmosphere and atmosphere in the story.