3.2.2.

THE PAST TENSE PROGRESSIVE

Form: The past tense progressive is formed of the past tense of the auxiliary be and the present
participle of the main verb: I was working, etc.
Uses and values
(1) Temporal frame use
The past progressive is used to express an action in progress at some time in the past: it emphasizes
duration of a single event, i.e. it is used for a single event or activity happening at a given past
moment; the event continued for a temporary period (it continued for a certain time but not up to
the present).
The particular past moment (which is the time of reference for the verb in the past progressive)
can be rendered explicitly or can be implied.
a) The particular past moment is rendered explicitly by an adverbial of time or by a clause:
- an adverbial of definite time: at 8 oclock, at that time, all day, this time last month/week/year,
etc. The past progressive indicates that the action was in progress, was going on at the period of
time denoted by the adverbial of time:
At 8 oclock he was having breakfast: the past progressive implies that he was in the middle
of
the meal at 8 oclock, in other words, that he had started it before 8 oclock, was in progress
at that time and probably continued after it.
Compare with: He had breakfast at 8 oclock. (The past simple implies that he started it at 8clock)
At 12.30 yesterday we were having a walk in the park. (an action in progress, going on
precisely
at that moment)
It was raining at 6 oclock.
What were you doing yesterday at 7 oclock?
The past progressive can denote an action filling up (covering) a whole period of time in the past
(when the action is considered in its progress). The period of time is denoted by adverbials such as:
all day / morning, all day yesterday, at that time:
It was raining all day yesterday.
This time last year I was travelling.
At that time we were living in the country.
- The time expression is indicated by a clause which contains a verb in the past simple. With
another action in the simple past it expresses an action that began and probably continued after the
other (shorter) action which interrupted it:
When I arrived Tom was talking on the telephone. (the action in the past progressive was
talking - started before the action in the past simple arrived and probably continued
after it).
It was raining when I got up.
While I was driving from Rome to Naples my car broke down.
While I was jogging, a man stopped me and asked me the time.
The past progressive is used as a kind of background / frame (a longer action) for the action
rendered by the past simple (shorter one). The past progressive expresses that the action was in
progress at the time when an other action (in the past simple) occurred; it began before the action
in the past simple and probably continued after it. Therefore, the relationship of meaning between
the past progressive and the past simple is one of inclusion: the action expressed by the past simple
is included in that of the past progressive:
When we arrived she was making tea: the past progressive tells us that the arrival took place
during the tea-making.
On the other hand, the relationship of meaning between two past simple forms is one of
succession, i.e. the two actions are consecutive:
 When we arrived she made tea: the past simple tells us that the tea-making followed the
arrival.
When the two actions are in progress simultaneously parallel actions - the past progressive is
used in both clauses:
The boys were playing football while the girls were watching them.
As I was driving to Rome I was listening to music on the car radio.
While we were dining the band was playing.
b) The past progressive may be used without a time expresion: the past moment may just be
implied. This is frequently found in descriptions: the past progressive expresses durative actions in
progress which contrast with non-durative, successive (consecutive) or completed actions
(expressed by the past simple):
I got off the bus and walked through the gate. Water was dripping from the bushes
past simple: consecutive/successive actions past progressive: temporary action in
progress
at a given moment in the past
that lined the drive that led to the hut.
past simple: permanent, non-temporary actions
It was a cold winter evening. Outside the wind was blowing. A fire was burning in the
fireplace
and a cat was sleeping in front of it. A man came in and went near the fire.