Mastering the Past Continuous

What was happening at that time?

• Interrupted Actions: It shows that one action was happening when another one interrupted it.
  • I was driving when it started to rain..
• Actions Happening at the Same Time: It shows two or more ongoing actions.
  • She was cooking while he was cleaning.

2. Forming the Past Continuous

Here’s your driving manual for the past continuous:

• Formula:
  Subject + was/were + verb(-ing)Examples:
  • I was running to catch the bus.
  • They were talking about the event.

Negative:

• Subject + was/were + not + verb(-ing)
  Examples:
  • I wasn’t working yesterday.
  • They weren’t playing at that time.

Questions:

• Was/Were + subject + verb(-ing)?
  Examples:
  • Were you reading at midnight?
  • Was she talking to you?

3. -ing Spelling Rules

When adding -ing, you might hit some spelling bumps! Here’s how to navigate them:

• For most verbs: Just add -ing.
  • read → reading
  • play → playing
• Verbs ending in -e: Drop the e, then add -ing.
  • drive → driving
  • dance → dancing
• One-syllable verbs with consonant-vowel-consonant endings: Double the final consonant.
  • run → running
  • swim → swimming
• Verbs ending in -ie: Change -ie to -y, then add -ing.
  • lie → lying
  • die → dying

4. Stative Verbs: The ‘Do Not Enter’ Zone!

Stative verbs are verbs that describe a state rather than an action. These verbs often talk about thoughts, emotions, relationships, senses, and possession. Unlike action verbs (which describe what someone is doing), stative verbs describe what someone feels, thinks, or is.

1. Categories of Stative Verbs

Let’s break down stative verbs into a few key categories:

a. Verbs of Emotion

These describe feelings or attitudes:

• Like: I like coffee.
• Love: She loves her job.
• Hate: They hate early mornings.
• Prefer: He prefers tea to coffee.

b. Verbs of Thinking or Belief

These describe mental states or beliefs:

• Know: I know the answer.
• Believe: She believes in ghosts.
• Understand: Do you understand the lesson?
• Think: (when it means “have an opinion”): I think it’s a good idea.

c. Verbs of the Senses

These describe how we perceive things through our senses:

• See: I see a bird outside.
• Hear: Do you hear that noise?
• Smell: The cake smells delicious.
• Taste: This soup tastes amazing.

d. Verbs of Possession

These show ownership or belonging:

• Have: She has a car.
• Own: They own a big house.
• Belong: This book belongs to me.

e. Verbs of Relationship

These describe relationships or states of being:

• Be: He is a teacher.
• Contain: The box contains old letters.
• Include: The price includes breakfast.

2. Stative Verbs and Continuous Tenses

One key rule about stative verbs is that they are not normally used in continuous tenses (like the present continuous or past continuous). This is because continuous tenses describe actions that are happening at the moment, and stative verbs don’t usually refer to actions.

Incorrect:

• I am knowing the answer ❌
• She is liking the movie ❌

Correct:

• I know the answer ✔
• She likes the movie ✔

However, some verbs can be both stative and dynamic (action verbs), depending on the context:

• Think:
  • Stative: I think you’re right (meaning “believe”).
  • Dynamic: I am thinking about the problem (meaning “considering”).
• Have:
  • Stative: I have a car (meaning “own”).
  • Dynamic: I am having dinner (meaning “eating”).

3. Verbs That Can Change Meaning

Some verbs shift between stative and dynamic meanings depending on the situation:

• See:
  • Stative: I see the problem (perceive with the eyes).
  • Dynamic: I am seeing the doctor tomorrow (have a meeting).
• Be:
  • Stative: She is very kind (describes a permanent quality).
  • Dynamic: She is being rude (temporary behavior).
• Taste:
  • Stative: The soup tastes great (describing the flavor).
  • Dynamic: The chef is tasting the soup (action of sampling).

4. Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse stative verbs by putting them in the continuous form when it’s not appropriate:

• Incorrect: I am loving this song!
• Correct: I love this song!
• Incorrect: She is knowing the answer.
• Correct: She knows the answer.

5. Exceptions: When Stative Verbs Can Be Dynamic

In casual speech, you might hear people use certain stative verbs in the continuous form for emphasis or informality:

• I’m loving this movie (emphasizing enjoyment).
• She’s being a bit difficult today (temporary behavior).

These are exceptions and are not usually found in formal writing.