Past Continuous Tense: Structure and Usage
Past Continuous Tense
Structure
The past continuous tense, also known as the past progressive tense, is formed as follows:
- Affirmative: Subject + was/were + verb (present participle -ing)
- Negative: Subject + wasn’t/weren’t + verb (present participle -ing)
- Interrogative: Was/Were + subject + verb (present participle -ing)
The choice between was and were depends on the subject:
- I was
- He was
- She was
- It was
- We were
- You were
- They were
Vocabulary
Here’s a list of useful vocabulary words, correctly spelled and translated:
- But -> Pero
- Get -> Conseguir
- Because -> Porque
- There -> Allí
- Why? -> ¿Por qué?
- Quickly -> Rápidamente
- Last week -> La semana pasada
- So -> Así que
- Explain -> Explicar
- What -> Qué
- Words -> Palabras
- Went -> Fue (pasado de “go”)
- Below -> Debajo
- Wrong -> Equivocado
- Which -> Cuáles
- With -> Con
- Refer -> Referir
- Hard -> Duro
- Ways -> Maneras
- His -> Su (de él)
- Before -> Antes
- Health -> Salud
- Now -> Ahora
- Wanted -> Quería
- Adverts -> Anuncios
- Along -> Largo
- Answer -> Respuesta
- Country -> País
- Choose -> Elige
- Where? -> ¿Dónde?
- I’d like -> Me gustaría
- Who? -> ¿Quién?
- For -> Durante / Por
- When? -> ¿Cuándo?
- Want -> Querer
- What? -> ¿Qué?
- Discuss -> Discutir
- Arrival -> Llegada
- Appendix -> Apéndice
- Book a room -> Reservar una habitación
- Spent -> Gasté/Gastó
- By air -> Por aire
- Blood -> Sangre
- By land -> Por tierra
- Everyone -> Todo el mundo
- Myself -> A mí mismo
- Departure -> Partida
- Anything -> Cualquier cosa
- Every -> Todo
- Any -> Cualquier
- No -> Nada
- Then -> Luego
- Or -> Ó
- From -> Desde
- Stand -> Permanecer
- At -> En
- Arrow -> Flecha
- Attack -> Atacar
- Break into -> Forzar
- Capture -> Capturar
- Case -> Caso
- Court -> Tribunal
- Escape -> Escapar
- Guilty -> Culpable
- Gun -> Pistola
- Judge -> Juez/a
- Lawyer -> Abogado/a
- Murderer -> Asesino/a
- Punish -> Castigar
- Thief -> Ladrón/a
- Luggage allowance -> Equipaje permitido
- How often? -> ¿Con qué frecuencia?
- What time? -> ¿A qué hora?
- How? -> ¿Cómo?
- Information desk -> Mostrador de información
- Make reservations -> Hacer reservaciones
- Passenger -> Pasajero/a
- Passport -> Pasaporte
- Seat -> Asiento
- Ticket office -> Taquilla
- Flight -> Vuelo
- Owner -> Propietario
- Understand -> Entender
- Them -> A ellos
- Look -> Mirar
- As -> Como
- Check -> Comprobar
- Walk -> Caminar
- While -> Mientras
- Guess -> Invitado/Adivinar
- Where -> Dónde
- Return -> Regresar
- This -> Esta/Este/Esto