In English we use the past continuous to talk about an action taking place during a period of time in the past. We usually use it with past simple.
The table below shows the different forms of past continuous :
Example verb : study | I / He / She / It | You / We / They |
Positive | ... was studying. | ... were studying. |
Negative | ... wasn't studying. | ... weren't studying. |
Questions | Was ... studying? | Were ... studying? |
Short answers | Yes, ... was. / No, ... wasn't. | Yes, ... were. / No, ... weren't. |
In English we use the past continuous to show that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the past simple. This can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.
Past Continuous Examples Sentences :
Positive Examples of Past Continuous :
Negative Examples of Past Continuous :
Question Examples of Past Continuous :
In English we can also use a specific time as an interruption.
Examples Sentences :
When you use the past continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it means that both actions were happening at the same time. The actions are parallel.
Examples Sentences :
Past continuous example sentences | |
---|---|
Yes, sorry, I was thinking of getting stock powder at the shop. | हाँ, माफ करना, मैं दुकान से स्टॉक पाउडर लेने के बारे में सोच रही थी। |
I was just trying to be more realistic! | मैं बस ज्यादा असली लगने की कोशिश कर रही थी! |
That's what I was planning. | मैंने यही सोचा था। |
But I don't know where he was getting it from. | लेकिन मुझे नहीं पता वो इसे कहाँ से लेता था। |
Hm, why was he begging the fairy to turn him into a real kid then? | हम्म, तो फिर वो परी से उसे असली लड़के में बदलने की भीख क्यों मांग रहा था? |
I was also training new workers how to make coffee. | मैं नए कर्मचारियों को कॉफ़ी बनाने का प्रशिक्षण भी देती थी। |
When I came, you were at the bar getting yourself a beer. | जब मैं यहाँ आया, तुम बार में अपने लिए बियर ले रहे थे। |
How did you know you were knocking on the right door? | तुम्हें कैसे पता चला कि तुम सही दरवाज़ा खटखटा रही हो? |
I was wondering where that chorizo smell was coming from. | वही मैं सोच रहा था कि कोरिज़ो की महक कहाँ से आ रही है। |
And you pretended you didn't know I was living here. | और तुमने ऐसे दिखाया जैसे तुम्हें पता ही नहीं है कि मैं यहाँ रहती हूँ। |
It sounds like she was having a mental breakdown. | ऐसा लगता है उसे मानसिक आघात लगा था। |
Thank god you weren't looking for red wine! | शुक्र है कि तुम रेड वाइन नहीं ढूंढ रही थी! |
I think she definitely understood I was lying! | मुझे लगता है वो निश्चित रूप से समझ गयी कि मैं झूठ बोल रही हूँ! |
I ran inside to check what was happening... | मैं अंदर देखने के लिए भागा कि क्या हो रहा है... |
Really? What was she saying? | अच्छा? वो क्या कह रही थी? |
First she started to mumble about how long my cooking was taking. | पहले उसने बुदबुदाना शुरू किया कि मेरा खाना पकने में कितना ज्यादा समय लग रहा है। |
Okay, long story short, I was cooking some chips last night. | ठीक है, तो थोड़े में कहानी बताता हूँ, मैं कल रात थोड़े चिप्स बना रहा था। |
Yeah... What was I saying? | हाँ... तो मैं क्या कह रहा था? |
Alright Nick, what were you saying? | ठीक है निक, तुम क्या कह रहे थे? |
I was planning on stirfrying some red peppers and mushrooms! | मैं कुछ लाल शिमला मिर्च और मशरूम भूनने के बारे में सोच रहा था! |