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Nina_Nia Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Past continuous
Hello,
I read that the use of past simple or past progressive depends on which tense a speaker wants to use and that all the sentences below are correct. Only when you want to show that the action was in progress then you use past continuous, but past simple is also correct.
'While I did my homework, he rested.' Or 'While I was doing my homework, he was resting.'
'I read all day yesterday.' Or 'I was reading all day yesterday.'
But is it also possible to use either of them in these examples?
While he was sleeping/slept, somebody stole his car.
While I was reading/read he was cooking/cooked.
She was always coming/came late.
He was constantly talking/he constantly talked.
They say that both tenses can be used, but sometimes an action that is used in past simple can be understood as a finished action and not as an action in progress. For example; I ate dinner at six o'clock and I was eating dinner at six o'clock. Mother was watching TV at six, Mother watched TV at six. Do you agree that either can be used here too and that past continuous can be used only if you want to show that the action was in progress?
Thanks
I read that the use of past simple or past progressive depends on which tense a speaker wants to use and that all the sentences below are correct. Only when you want to show that the action was in progress then you use past continuous, but past simple is also correct.
'While I did my homework, he rested.' Or 'While I was doing my homework, he was resting.'
'I read all day yesterday.' Or 'I was reading all day yesterday.'
But is it also possible to use either of them in these examples?
While he was sleeping/slept, somebody stole his car.
While I was reading/read he was cooking/cooked.
She was always coming/came late.
He was constantly talking/he constantly talked.
They say that both tenses can be used, but sometimes an action that is used in past simple can be understood as a finished action and not as an action in progress. For example; I ate dinner at six o'clock and I was eating dinner at six o'clock. Mother was watching TV at six, Mother watched TV at six. Do you agree that either can be used here too and that past continuous can be used only if you want to show that the action was in progress?
Thanks
Top answer
I ate dinner at six o'clock and I was eating dinner at six o'clock. Mother was watching TV at six, Mother watched TV at six. Do you agree that either can be used here too and that past continuous can be used only if you want to show that the action was in progress?
- I ate dinner at six o'clock and I was eating dinner at six o'clock.
- Mother was watching TV at six, Mother watched TV at six.
- Do you agree that either can be used here too and that past continuous can be used only if you want to show that the action was in progress?
- ' A Past Tense verb is a FACT, and facts do not occupy any period of time.
- >>> We cannot conceive of the actual performance of an action without seeing this as occupying a period of time.
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6 Answers
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I ate dinner at six o'clock and I was eating dinner at six o'clock. Mother was watching TV at six, Mother watched TV at six. Do you agree that either can be used here too and that past continuous can be used only if you want to show that the action was in progress?
Yes, I agree - if you change 'can be used only if...' to 'is used when...'
A P
Yes, I agree - if you change 'can be used only if...' to 'is used when...'
A P
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You could say:
While he was sleeping OR while he slept, somebody stole his car.
The most natural way to say the next one would be:
While I was reading, he cooked dinner.
She was always coming late. She always came late.
The last one is correct as it is.
"I was eating dinner at six' as a statement makes me wonder what happened next, UNLESS it's a repl
While he was sleeping OR while he slept, somebody stole his car.
The most natural way to say the next one would be:
While I was reading, he cooked dinner.
She was always coming late. She always came late.
The last one is correct as it is.
"I was eating dinner at six' as a statement makes me wonder what happened next, UNLESS it's a repl
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My book says that ' Mother watched TV at six' as well as 'I ate dinner at six' depending on the context may also mean that these actions were in progress, but 'watched TV at six' and 'ate dinner at six' can also be finished actions. I am not a native speaker unfortunately, but I do like continuous forms more.
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' Mother watched TV at six' as well as 'I ate dinner at six' … may also mean that these actions were in progress.
At some point in the past, the events/actions must have 'been in progress' in order to have occurred!. But a Past Tense verb states a FACT, and there are no time boundaries for the actual verb.
e.g. He died.
All we know from t
At some point in the past, the events/actions must have 'been in progress' in order to have occurred!. But a Past Tense verb states a FACT, and there are no time boundaries for the actual verb.
e.g. He died.
All we know from t
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Thank you very much for your explanations 
. I was using a Russian exercise book.
. I was using a Russian exercise book.00
When I came, my parents were having tea.
When I came, my parents and I had tea.
He was doing his homework when I entered the room.
While we were coming home, our car broke down.
As I was coming he
When I came, my parents and I had tea.
He was doing his homework when I entered the room.
While we were coming home, our car broke down.
As I was coming he
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