TELL OFF
CHAT UP
LOOK AFTER
PUT UP WITH
LOOK UP
GIVE UP
SHOW OFF
TAKE OFF
PUT OUT
RUN OUT OF
What were you doing
on Monday
at 6 p.m.?
On Monday someone robbed a
shopping centre at 6 p.m.
The PAST CONTINUOUS – Positive form
I was eating
You were eating
He / She / It was eating
We were eating
You were eating
They were eating
The PAST CONTINUOUS – Negative form
I wasn’t eating
or
I was not eating
You weren’t eating or
You were not eating
He / She / It wasn’t eating or
We weren’t eating
You weren’t eating
They weren’t eating
or
He / She / It was not eating
We were not eating
or
or
You were not eating
They were not eating
The PAST CONTINUOUS – Interrogative form
Was I eating?
Were you eating?
Was he / she / it eating?
Were we eating?
Were you eating?
Were they eating?
Quando si usa?
Il Past Continuous si usa per parlare di
azioni in corso in un determinato momento
nel passato (in quel momento l’azione era
iniziata ma non era ancora finita).
Esempi:
What were you doing yesterday at 6 p.m.?
I was studying Law.
Che cosa facevi / stavi facendo ieri alle 6 di pomeriggio?
Studiavo / Stavo studiando diritto.
We were having dinner at 8:30.
Alle 8:30 stavamo cenando.
Spesso in una stessa frase si possono trovare sia
il Past Simple che il Past Continuous.
Questo avviene per indicare che si è
verificata un’azione nel passato mentre
un’altra era in corso di svolgimento.
Il Past Continuous si usa per descrivere l’azione in
corso, mentre il Past Simple per descrivere
l’azione conclusa (ovvero l’azione breve che
generalmente interrompe l’azione in corso).
Esempi:
I was having a shower when the phone rang.
Stavo facendo la doccia quando è squillato il telefono.
When the teacher arrived, Paul and Sara were arguing.
Quando è arrivato l’insegnante, Paul e Sara stavano litigando.
She saw me when I was walking in Grafton Street.
Mi ha visto quando stavo camminando in Grafton Street.
I met Tom while I was jogging in the park.
Ho incontrato Tom mentre correvo nel parco.
As I was working on my PC, I spilt tea over the keyboard.
Mentre lavoravo al PC, ho versato del té sulla tastiera.
WHEN
+ past simple,
+ past continuous
When the teacher arrived, Paul and Sara were arguing.
WHEN
WHILE
(=mentre) + past continuous,
+ past simple
AS (=mentre)
When Paul and Sara were arguing, the teacher arrived.
While Paul and Sara were arguing, the teacher arrived.
As Paul and Sara were arguing, the teacher arrived.
When the teacher arrived, Paul and Sara were arguing.
Paul and Sara were arguing when the teacher arrived.
When Paul and Sara were arguing, the teacher arrived.
While Paul and Sara were arguing, the teacher arrived.
As Paul and Sara were arguing, the teacher arrived.
The teacher arrived when Paul and Sara were arguing.
The teacher arrived while Paul and Sara were arguing.
The teacher arrived as Paul and Sara were arguing.
When she arrived they were having dinner.