PAST PROGRESSIVE FOR INTERMEDIATE STUDETS

PPT RELATED TO THE PAST PROGRESSIVE FOR INTERMEDITE STUDENTS

1. Past Progressive
and Simple Past
Someone Stole His
Briefcase!
1
TIRV 121

2. What were
you doing?
What did you
see?
Reporting to the Police 1
It was about ten in the
morning, and I was sitting in
Maxi’s Café near City Park.

3. Suddenly, there was another young man. He snatched the red
briefcase and ran away with it so fast that no one knew what
was happening.

To my left, there was a young man. He was drinking
coffee and reading a newspaper. A big red briefcase was
standing next to his feet.

Reporting to the Police 2
To my right, there was a young woman. She
was eating a huge dish of ice cream. She
was enjoying it.
After the man stole the briefcase, we
were all talking loudly. The owner of
the briefcase was very upset!

4. 10 a.m.
Past Progressive
Use the past progressive to describe an action
that was in progress at a specific time in the past.
now
was having
past future
I was having coffee.
She was eating ice cream.
was eating

5. Be Careful!
Non-action verbs are not usually used in the
progressive. Note the exception with have.
I waswas havinghaving coffee.
She waswas havinghaving ice cream.
I waswas havinghaving a headache.I hadhad a headache.
Here the meaning
of havehave is eat eat oror drink drink.

6. Past Progressive & Simple Past 1
Use past progressive with simple past to describe an
action that was interrupted by another action.
now
stolestole
They were enjoyingwere enjoying the
morning when the thief
stole the briefcase.
past future
They were enjoying the
morning when the thief
stolestole the briefcase.
were enjoyingwere enjoying

7. Past Progressive & Simple Past 2
Use past progressive for the action in progress. Use
when and the simple past for the action that interrupts.
now
snatchedsnatched
The man was readingwas reading the
newspaper when the thief
snatched his briefcase.
past future
The man was readingwas reading the
newspaper when the thief
snatchedsnatched his briefcase.
was readingwas reading

8. I was sittingwas sitting in Maxi’s Café
and watching the people there.
The thief stolestole the briefcase
and ranran away.
The thief stolestole the briefcase
and ranran away.
Past Progressive & Simple Past 3
Use past progressive to focus on the duration of an action.
Use simple past to focus on the completion of an action.
now
was sitting / was watching
past future
I was sitting in Maxi’s Café
and watching people.
stolestole
ranran

9. What were you and others
doing? Answer the questions
using the past progressive.
I was trying was trying to wake up when you calledcalled.

Practice 1
Example:
What were you doing when I called this morning?
1. What were you doing when the phone rang last night?
2. What were your friends doing at 6 p.m. yesterday evening?
3. What were you doing last weekend?
4. What was the teacher doing when you first saw her/him today?

10. The man was readingwas reading
the newspaper while the
woman was eating her
ice cream.
The man was readingwas reading
the newspaper while the
woman was eatingwas eating her
ice cream.
Past Progressive with While 1
Use past progressive with while to describe two
actions in progress at the same time in the past.
now
past
future
was readingwas reading
was eatingwas eating

11. While I was describing
the theft, the police
officer was writing
everything down.
While I was describing
the theft, the police
officer was writing
everything down.
Past Progressive with While 2
Use past progressive with while to describe two
actions in progress at the same time in the past.
now
past future
was describingwas describing
was writingwas writing

12. Time Clauses
The time clause (= the part with while or when) can
come at the beginning or the end of the sentence.
They were havingwere having coffee
whenwhen the thief snatchedsnatched the briefcase.
WhenWhen the thief snatchedsnatched the briefcase
they were havingwere having coffee.
n
o

c
o
m
m
a
com
m
a!!!
,,

13. Be Careful!
Sentences with both clauses in the simple past have a
different meaning from sentences with one clause in the
simple past and one in the past progressive.
When the waiter camecame,
I was looking at the menu.
When the waiter camecame,
I lookedlooked at the menu.
First the waiter
came; then I
looked at the
menu.
now
past
future
camecame
First I was
looking at the
menu; then the
waiter came.
was lookingwas looking
camecame
lookedlooked

14. 1. While the women were talkingwere talking, they were drinkingwere drinking tea.2. While the sun was shiningwas shining, the fountain was splashingwas splashing.3. While one man was playing was playing pool, the other man was was
watchingwatching.
4. While the woman was not lookingwas not looking, the toast was was
burningburning.
5. While the woman was talking was talking on the phone, the man was sitting was sitting
in the chair.
Form sentences with while.
Use the past progressive.
While the man was readingwas reading, the prisoner was stealingwas stealing his wallet.

Practice 2
Example: read / steal
1. talk / drink
2. shine / splash
3. play / watch 4. not look / burn
5. talk / sit

15. References
Copyright © 2024 Pearson Education and
its licensors. All rights reserved.