1. PAST CONTINUOUS
They WERE PLAYING tennis at yesterday.

2. was/were + subject + vb-ing?
Form:
was / were + V-ing
was/were + vb-ing
(+)
I was studying English.
was/were + not + vb-ing
(-)
I was not studying English.
was/were + subject + vb-ing?
(?)
Were you studying English? Yes, I was//No, I wasn’t.
Where were you studying English? I was studying English at home.

3. He was watching TV at 8 pm yesterday.
Use:
1.- Actions in progress at a particular time in the past
He was watching TV at 8 pm yesterday.
He started watching TV before 8 pm yesterday. At 8 pm, he was in the middle of watching TV. He continued watching TV after 8 pm.
YESTERDAY
at 7 pm
at 8 pm
at 9 pm

4. What were you doing this time last night?
I was working on my computer.

5. The actions are simultaneous.
2.- Two actions in progress happening at the same time in the past.
At 1.15 pm, Sarah was listening to music and her brother was studying.
The actions are simultaneous.

6. The teacher was talking and the students were listening.

7. While the children were playing in the park, Sarah was reading a book.

8. Time expressions:
1.- AT + time, this time yesterday, this time last night, all afternoon…
This time yesterday afternoon, they were not sitting in the park.
They were sleeping at twelve o’clock last night.

9. Past Simple vs. Past Continuous:
Actions that started and finished in the past. (COMPLETED ACTION)
Actions in progress at a specific time in the past. (UNFINISHED ACTION)
She was playing the drums at twenty-five to two testerday.
She played the drums at the age of ten.

10. When Mary arrived, they were having dinner.
Past Simple +
Past Continuous
Short sudden action that interrupts another action.
Long action in progress interrupted by another action.
When Mary arrived, they were having dinner.

11. Past Simple + Past Continuous WHEN + Simple Past
He was posting the letter when he saw an accident.
WHILE // AS + Past Continuous
While he was posting the letter, he saw an accident.

12. When I got up this morning, the sun was shining.
David fell while he was rollerblading.

13. When Tom found a treasure, he was walking on the beach.
While my little brother was driving home, he had an accident.