Penggunaan
Past Continuous Tense digunakan untuk menggambarkan suatu tindakan atau aktifitas di masa lalu yang ditangguhkan, penangguhan tersebut bisa disebabkan karena ada aktifitas lain atau hal lain.
Contoh :
I was watching TV when she called.
Saya sedang menonton TV ketika dia menelepon.
When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
Ketika telepon berdering, dia menulis surat.
I was listening to my iPod, so I didn’t hear the fire alarm.
Saya mendengarkan iPod saya, jadi saya tidak mendengar alarm kebakaran.
You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off.
Anda tidak mendengarkan saya ketika saya mengatakan untuk mematikan oven.
While Joko was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.
Ketika Joko tidur tadi malam, seseorang mencuri mobilnya.
Past Continuous Tense juga digunakan untuk menggambarkan dua atau lebih tindakan yang waktu melakukannya di masa lampau.
contoh :
I was studying while he was making dinner.
Saya sedang belajar saat dia membuat makan malam.
While Vina was reading, Theo was watching television
Sementara Vina sedang membaca, Theo sedang menonton televisi
Arif wasn’t working, and I wasn’t working either.
Arif tidak bekerja, dan saya juga tidak bekerja.
What were you doing while you were waiting?
Apa yang kamu lakukan saat kamu menunggu?
Were you listening while he was talking?
Apakah Anda mendengarkan ketika dia berbicara?
Past Continuous Tense digunakan untuk menggambarkan sesuatu yang kurang menyenangkan di masa lampau, ini mirip dengan penggunaan used to tapi mempunuyai konotasi negatif. Untuk fungsi ini biasanya menggunakan kata-kata seperti always atau constantly.
Contoh :
She was always coming to class late.
Dia selalu datang terlambat ke kelas.
He was constantly talking. He annoyed everyone.
Dia terus berbicara. Dia mengganggu semua orang.
I didn’t like them because they were always complaining.
Saya tidak suka mereka karena mereka selalu mengeluh.
Kata-kata penunjuk waktu
| while | Sementara itu |
| When | Kapan |
Contoh :
I was studying when she called.
While I was studying, she called.
Struktur Past Continuous Tense
| Subject | Auxiliary Verb | – | Main Verb | ||
| + | I | was | – | going | to the store when Budi called. |
| He | was | – | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| She | was | – | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| It | was | – | sleeping | when he went into the room. | |
| Budi | was | – | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| We | were | – | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| You | were | – | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| They | were | – | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| Ani and Wati | were | – | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| – | I | was | not | going | to the store when Budi called. |
| He | was | not | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| She | was | not | sleeping | to the store when Budi called. | |
| It | was | not | going | when he went into the room. | |
| Budi | was | not | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| We | were | not | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| You | were | not | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| They | were | not | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| Ani and Wati | were | not | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| ? | Was | I | going | to the store when Budi called. | |
| Was | he | going | to the store when Budi called. | ||
| Was | she | sleeping | to the store when Budi called. | ||
| Was | it | going | when he went into the room. | ||
| Was | Budi | going | to the store when Budi called. | ||
| Were | we | going | to the store when Budi called. | ||
| Were | you | going | to the store when Budi called. | ||
| Were | they | going | to the store when Budi called. | ||
| Were | Ani and Wati | going | to the store when Budi called. |
- Dalam Past Continuous Tense menggunakan Auxiliary verb to be (was/were).
- Auxiliary verb to be (was/were) berubah bentuk sesuai dengan subjeknya.
- Pada Past Continuous Tense, Main Verb (kata kerja utama) ditambahkan -ing.
- Untuk membentuk kalimat negatif pada Past Continuous Tense, kata not ditambahkan diantara Auxiliary Verb to be (was/were) dan Main Verb (kata kerja utama).
- Sedangkan untuk membuat kalimat interogatif, Auxiliary Verb to be diletakkan sebelum subjek.
Kata kerja khusus
Do sebagai full verb
| I, He, She, It | |
| + | I was doing an running. |
| + | I was doing an running. |
| + | I was doing an running. |
| + | I was doing an running. |
| – | I was not doing an running. |
| – | I was not doing an running. |
| – | I was not doing an running. |
| – | I was not doing an running. |
| ? | Was I doing an running ? |
| ? | Was I doing an running ? |
| ? | Was I doing an running ? |
| ? | Was I doing an running ? |
| We, You, They | |
| + | We were doing an running. |
| + | You were doing an running. |
| + | They were doing an running. |
| – | We were not doing an running. |
| – | You were not doing an running. |
| – | They were not doing an running. |
| ? | Were we doing an running ? |
| ? | Were you doing an running ? |
| ? | Were they doing an running ? |
Long Form (bentuk panjang) dan Short Form (bentuk pendek) dalam Past Continuous Tense
Dalam past continuous tense bentuk pendek hanya memungkin dalam kalimat negatif, hal ini dikarenakan kalimat dalam past continuous tense menggunakan Auxiliary Verb to be (was/were).
| POSITIVE | |
| Long Form | Short Form |
| I was writing | – |
| He, She, It | |
| He was writing | – |
| We,you, they | |
| We were writing | – |
| You were writing | – |
| They were writing | – |
| NEGATIVE | |
| Long Form | Short Form |
| I was not writing | I wasn’t writing |
| He, She, It | |
| He was not writing | He wasn’t writing |
| We,you, they | |
| We were not writing | We weren’t writing |
| You were not writing | You weren’t writing |
| They were not writing | They weren’t writing |