Прошедшее продолженное время – это такая форма глагола, которая обозначает действие предмета, имевшее место в прошлом при определенных обстоятельствах. Данная форма времени используется в следующих случаях.
- Для обозначения того, что длительное действие в прошлом было прервано другим, коротким единичным действием. Действие, прерывающее более длительное, выражено глаголом в форме простого прошедшего времени. Например: Andy was waiting for us when we got off the bus. – Энди ждал нас, когда мы вышли из автобуса.
- Если в предложении имеется указание на конкретное время, когда происходило действие (обстоятельство времени). Например: At the afternoon we were still discussing the project. – В полдень мы все еще обсуждали проект.
- Когда в предложении два действия описаны глаголами в форме прошедшего продолженного времени. Эти глаголы вносят идею того, что эти действия происходят одновременно. Например: I was talking by phone while she was watching the news. – Я говорил по телефону, пока она смотрела новости.
- Для описания ряда параллельных действий, создающих атмосферу в определенный момент в прошлом. Например: When I walked into the office, several people were typing, somebody was talking on the phone, the boss was giving directions, and customers were waiting to be served. – Когда я зашел в офис, несколько человек печатали, кто-то беседовал по телефону, начальник давал указания, и клиенты ожидали обслуживания.
- С такими словами, как “always” (всегда) или “constantly” (постоянно), чтобы показать, что какое-то действие повторялось слишком часто, и это вызывает негативные эмоции. В этом случае слова “always” или “constantly” стоят между глаголом-помощником “be” и “глаголом + ing.” Например: He was constantly talking by phone all working day long. – Он все время разговаривал по телефону весь рабочий день.
Следовательно, прошедшее продолженное время (как и иные продолженные времена) предполагает распространенность предложения второстепенными членами, главным образом, обстоятельствами, либо (как и было описано выше) однородными повторяющимися сказуемыми.
Прошедшее продолженное время образуется с помощью вспомогательных глаголов:
- was – в единственном числе, и
- were – во множественном числе,
после которых следует смысловой глагол с окончанием –ing во всех лицах и числах.
В качестве примера проспрягаем глагол to wait в прошедшем продолженном времени.
единственное число | множественное число | ||
1 лицо | I was waiting | 1 лицо | We were waiting |
2 лицо | You were waiting | 2 лицо | You were waiting |
3 лицо | He was waiting
She was waiting It was waiting |
3 лицо | They were waiting |
Как следует из приведенной таблицы, в единственном числе используется вспомогательный глагол was (кроме 2-го лица единственного числа), а во множественном числе и во 2-ом лице единственного числа – were.
Если предложение является отрицательным, т.е. эквивалентно русской конструкции «частица «не» + глагол», то после вспомогательных глаголов was или were ставится частица not. Однако в современной английской речи она чаще всего используется с этими глаголами в сокращенной форме: wasn’t — в единственном числе или weren’t — во множественном. Например: He wasn’t expecting his friend yesterday evening. – Он не ждал своего друга вчера вечером.
Для того чтобы задать вопрос, сказуемое в котором находится в прошедшем продолженном времени, необходимо поставить вспомогательные глаголы was или were (в зависимости от числа) на первое место, если вопрос общий, либо после вопросительного местоимения, если вопрос специальный. А сказуемое будет выражено глаголом с окончанием —ing на конце во всех лицах и числах. Например:
- Were you reading that book yesterday? – Вы не читали вчера ту книгу?
- What were you reading yesterday? – Что вы вчера читали?
Многие люди, изучающие английский язык, иногда путают принципы употребления прошедшего простого и прошедшего продолженного времени. Само по себе, в принципе, это грубой ошибкой не является, однако может повлечь некоторое искажение смысла предложения. Тем не менее, принципы использования как простого, так и продолженного времен вполне прозрачны и очевидны. И, поверьте, в процессе изучения Вы сами в этом скоро убедитесь: здесь важно сделать акцент на постоянной собственной речевой практике, которая и будет залогом практического формирования языковых навыков и умений.
Дополнительное упражнение по теме № 1 | |
Complete the sentences putting the verbs in brackets in the Past Continuous Tense form: | |
1. | When I phoned my friends, they (play) monopoly. |
Answer: When I phoned my friends, they were playing monopoly. | |
2. | Yesterday at six I (prepare) dinner. |
Answer: Yesterday at six I was preparing dinner. | |
3. | The kids (play) in the garden when it suddenly began to rain. |
Answer: The kids were playing in the garden when it suddenly began to rain. | |
4. | I (practice) the guitar when he came home. |
Answer: I was practicing the guitar when he came home. | |
5. | We (not / cycle) all day. |
Answer: We were not cycling all day. | |
6. | While Alan (work) in his room, his friends were swimming in the pool. |
Answer: While Alan was working in his room, his friends were swimming in the pool. | |
7. | I tried to tell them the truth but they (not / listen). |
Answer: I tried to tell them the truth but they were not listening. | |
8. | What (you / do) yesterday? |
Answer: What were you doing yesterday? | |
9. | Most of the time we (sit) in the park. |
Answer: Most of the time we were sitting in the park. | |
10. | I (listen) to the radio while my sister was watching TV. |
Answer: I was listening to the radio while my sister was watching TV. | |
11. | When I arrived, they (play) cards. |
Answer: When I arrived, they were playing cards. | |
12. | We (study) English yesterday at 4:00 pm. |
Answer: We were studying English yesterday at 4:00 pm. | |
13. | When I saw you and Lucy last night, who (you/talk to)? |
Answer: When I saw you and Lucy last night, who were you talking to? | |
14. | They (eat) chocolate at three o’clock. |
Answer: They were eating chocolate at three o’clock. | |
15. | At a quarter past six, Phil (translate) the document. |
Answer: At a quarter past six, Phil was translating the document. | |
16. | Tom burnt his hand while he (cook) dinner. |
Answer: Tom burnt his hand while he was cooking dinner. | |
17. | We saw an accident while we (drive) on the highway. |
Answer: We saw an accident while we were driving on the highway. | |
18. | Margaux fell asleep while she (watch) the television. |
Answer: Margaux fell asleep while she was watching the television. | |
19. | I (walk) when I met Karen. |
Answer: I was walking when I met Karen. | |
20. | How fast (drive/you) when the accident happened? |
Answer: How fast were you driving when the accident happened? |
Дополнительное упражнение по теме № 2 | ||
Choose the correct answer: | ||
1. | What she ___ when you saw her? Her favourite top, I think. | |
a. did she wear | b. was she wearing | |
2. | They ___up early that morning so they went for a swim. | |
a. got | b. were getting | |
3. | We found the keys we ___ for yesterday. | |
a. looked | b. were looking | |
4. | The car ___ against the wall and a lot of people came round. | |
a. crashed | b. was crashing | |
5. | ___ when you left for school? | |
a. Did it rain | b. Was it raining | |
6. | It was a quiet morning: the birds ___ in the trees and the cows were eating. | |
a. sang | b. were singing | |
7. | While they were laying the table, we ___ the bread. | |
a. cut | b. were cutting | |
8. | When I called Mike, he ___. | |
a. ate | b. was eating | |
9. | When ___ to bed last night? | |
a. did you go | b. were you going | |
10. | While Max was eating pizza, his wife ___ in the door. | |
a. walked | b. was walking | |
11. | I ___ a VW Beetle when I was a student. | |
a. had | b. was having | |
12. | While I was doing my homework, I ___ two glasses of water. | |
a. drank | b. was drinking | |
13. | Peter was robbed last night. While he was sleeping, a burglar ___ his house. | |
a. broke into | b. was breaking into | |
14. | When the power went out last night, we ___ a movie. | |
a. watched | b. were watching | |
15. | They ___ tennis when it began to rain. | |
a. played | b. were playing | |
16. | While John was walking home from the store, he ___ twenty dollars. | |
a. found | b. was finding | |
17. | Max ___ his car to work when it broke down. | |
a. drove | b. was driving | |
18. | What ___ when I rang you up last week? | |
a. did you do | b. were you doing | |
19. | As we were walking in the park yesterday, we ___ the explosion from the Columbia. | |
a. heard | b. were hearing | |
20. | One of the dogs ___. | |
a. barked | b. was barking |
Тесты и упражнения
Elementary
Упражнения на Past Simple и Past Continuous