39 Past continuous Past continuous azione entrambe immagini momento past simple rapida soggetto svolgimento when affermativa FORMA Il past continuous si forma con il ....................................... di be + la -ing form I was watching TV. They were talking. Forma .......................................: soggetto + was / were + -ing form She was listening to music. Forma negativa: soggetto + was / were + not + -ing form (contratta: wasn t / weren t) You were not going home. You weren t going home. Forma interrogativa: was / were + ....................................... + -ing form Were we driving to the coast? Le risposte brevi si formano come quelle del past simple di be: Yes, he/she/it was. Yes, I/you/we/they were. Were you sleeping? Yes, I was. / No, I wasn t. No, I/you/we/they weren t. No, he/she/it wasn t. Was Richard playing? Yes, he was. / No, he wasn t. USO Si usa il past continuous per: esprimere azioni in ....................................... in un momento passato I was cooking at midday yesterday. descrivere ....................................... o fotografie Mum was skiing with dad here. L azione espressa dal past continuous spesso messa in relazione con un altra ......................................., che viene espressa: con un secondo past continuous se in svolgimento nello stesso ....................................... della prima George was doing his homework while Kate was drawing. con il past simple se, invece, ......................................., improvvisa, che interrompe la prima o la coglie nel suo svolgimento I was walking home when you called me. Le due azioni sono unite da: while, se la congiunzione introduce la frase con il past continuous (nel caso in cui ....................................... le azioni siano in svolgimento, while pu introdurre indifferentemente l una o l altra) Paul was writing e-mails while Linda was having a shower. / While Paul was writing e-mails, Linda was having a shower. ......................................., se la congiunzione introduce la frase con il past simple While Ted was watching his favourite TV programme, the doorbell rang. Ted was watching his favourite TV programme, when the doorbell rang. Past continuous 89