Past Continuous – Αόριστος Διαρκείας 

Σχηματισμός: was / were + present participle (I was playing/was I playing?/I wasn’t playing)

Παράδειγμα: was + listen + ing = was listening

Περιγράφουμε μια πράξη:

1.  Που συνέβαινε σε μια συγκεκριμένη στιγμή στο παρελθόν (δεν γνωρίζουμε πότε άρχισε, δεν γνωρίζουμε πότε τελείωσε):

At 8 o’clock last night father was watching a news programme.

2.  Δύο (ή περισσότερες) πράξεις που συνέβαιναν την ίδια στιγμή (παράλληλες πράξεις):

The children were playing while mother was talking on the phone.

3.  Που συνέβαινε και διακόπηκε από μία άλλη:

• As Nick was speaking, the lights went out.
• Mary was listening to music when I gave her a call.

4.  Μια ιστορία (το σκηνικό της) στο παρελθόν δηλαδή, στην ουσία, όταν περιγράφουμε κάτι. Ο Αόριστος εδώ χρησιμοποιείται μόνο για την αφήγηση (walked) :

When the teacher walked into the classroom some of the pupils were chasing each other and some others  were busy writing pop song lyrics on the board!

Να θυμάστε:

έπαιξα > played ……………………έπαιζα > was playing

έτρεξα > ran…………………………έτρεχα > was running

έφαγα > ate………………………….έτρωγα > was eating

διάβασα > read…………………….διάβαζα > was reading

μίλησα > spoke……………………..μίλαγα > was speaking

Key Words:

• while (καθώς, ενώ)
• as (καθώς)
• when (όταν)

Exercise.

1. Pete ___ was jogging ___(jog) in the park when he suddenly ____ saw _______(see) a colourful snake creeping around the bushes.

2. While I ___ was having ____(have) a coffee, my friend, Tom, __ walked ___(walk) into the cafeteria.

3. Dad __ was washing ___(wash) the car while my mum and sister ___ were preparing ___(prepare) lunch.

4. __ Was ___father ___ sleeping ____(sleep) when you went into the bedroom?

5. It ___ was snowing ___(snow) when the plane touched down Heathrow airport.

6. The little boy ___ was riding ___(ride) his bike when he heard the dog barking.

7. We ___ were listening ___(listen) to the teacher when we ___ felt ___(feel) the earthquake.

8. __ Was ____ mum__ cooking ___(cook) when you entered the kitchen?

9. The baby __ was crying ___(cry) while his mother __ was changing ____ (change) him.

10. What __ were ____the boys__ doing ___(do) out in the street at 9.00 in the morning?

Μερικές ακόμα χρήσεις που είναι αρκετά…χρήσιμες.

1.  Ο Past Continuous επίσης χρησιμοποιείται στον Indirect Speech (reported speech).

(Ο Present Continuous  γίνεται Past Continuous)

• He said, ‘She is playing tennis.’
• He said that she was playing tennis.

2. Με το always. Για να δείξει ότι κάποιος ήταν ενοχλημένος στο παρελθόν από κάποιον άλλον.

• Mary was always talking about her long legs. She used to get on my nerves!