Past Progressive (Continuous) Tense is used to denote the gradual development of action in the past.
Use Of Past Progressive (Continuous) Tense.
We use the past continuous tense-
1.To denote the actions that were going on in the past.
Example-
- Our grandmother was telling stories last night.
2.To describe the actions or events taking place in the past. It is generally used when two actions take place simultaneously or together in the past.
Example-
- We were going to market when they met us.
- The child was crying when I entered in to room.
Affirmative Sentence
Subject+Was/Were+Verb+ing+Object+Place+Time.
Examples.
- He was calling the servant last night.
- We were playing football. (हम फूटबाल खेल रहे थे । )
- In Past Progressive Tense we use Was with singular nouns.(Example No.1)
- With Plural Nouns we use Were. (Example No.2)
Negative Sentence.
Subject+Was/Were+Not+Verb+ing+Object+Place+Time.
Examples.
- He was not calling the servant.
- We were not playing football yesterday. (हम कल फूटबाल नहीं खेल रहे थे । )
Interrogative Sentence.
Was/Were+Subject+Not+Verb+ing+Object+Place+Time.
Examples.
- Was he not calling my servant?
- Were we playing football with them? (क्या हम उनके साथ फूटबाल खेल रहे थे ?)
Main Interrogative Sentence.
Question Word+Was/Were+Subject+Not+Verb+ing+Object+Place+Time.
Examples.
- When was he calling the old servant?
- Where were we playing football last evening? *(पिछली शाम हम फूटबाल कहाँ खेल रहे थे ?)
Story Comprehension
Exercise-1 Read the following story carefully and answer the following question
Yesterday, it was raining and thundering all day. Madhu was playing inside the house. She wanted to be outside. She wasn’t playing outside because it was raining. She was feeling tired of being trapped inside the house.
Madhu was trying to keep busy inside the house. She was reading her book until the electricity went out. Then, she decided to practice her sewing. She was practising sewing until lunchtime. After lunch, she sat by the window and watched the rain.
While Madhu was watching the rain, the phone rang. Her mother was calling to say she was coming home. She was bringing a new game for her. Madhu and her mother ate ice cream and played the game.
While they were playing, the rain stopped! But Madhu didn’t even notice. She was having such a good time with her mom.
Answer the following Questions
- Who was playing inside the house?
- Why was Madhu playing inside the house?
- What was Madhu reading?
- What did Madhu decide?
- Why was Madhu not playing outside?
- How was Madhu feeling?
- When did the phone ring?
- Who was calling?
- What was Madhu’s mother bringing?
- What were Madhu and her mother playing?
Exercise-2 Read the following story and frame at least 6 questions
One sunny day, Reena and Alok were delivering a box to Mr. Sharma. The crate was full of glasses. They were carrying the box on a cart. They were taking the glasses to Mr. Sharma’s store at the end of the street. They were being very careful with the crate full of glasses.
As they were passing by the school, they saw Jack and Tom. Jack and Tom were playing soccer. Reena and Alok asked the other boys for help. The four boys steered the cart through the streets. While Reena and Alok were pulling from the front, Jack and Tom were pushing from behind.
As they were walking, Reena and Alok were guiding the cart over bumps and holes. They were protecting the glasses. When the four boys arrived at the store, Mr. Sharma was waiting for them. While Mr. Sharma was unloading the glasses, he thanked the boys for their hard work. None of the glasses were broken! The boys were feeling very proud of their hard work.
Example-
- What were Reena and Alok doing on a sunny day?
- …
- …
- .
- .
- .
Exercise-3 Read the following story and frame at least 7 questions
Last night at 7 o’clock, Vivek was taking pictures of birds. He was walking through the city park when he saw a fire. An old, empty building near the park was on fire. Vivek pulled out his camera.
He was taking pictures of the fire when the fire trucks pulled up. The firefighters jumped out. They hooked up their hoses. While they were fighting the fire, Vivek was taking more pictures.
The firefighters were fighting the fire and Vivek was taking pictures when the rain started. The rain helped put the fire out. The firefighters were clapping and Vivek was cheering. The fire was finally out.
Example-
- What was Vivek doing last night?
- ..
- ..
- ..
- ..
- ..
- .
Translate the following sentences into Hindi.
- He was reading the newspaper.
- They were playing a football match yesterday.
- You were telling a lie.
- The carpenter was making a table.
- I was playing cricket.
- Some students were not coming to school daily.
- Few boys in the team were not playing properly.
- I was not calling your younger brother.
- She was not cooking my favorite dish.
- Only the small child was not drinking the milk.
- Was he playing the match yesterday?
- Was Mohan not abusing his servant?
- Were we going to market?
- Was I not writing an essay?
- Was she going to college with her brother?
- Why were you beating your servant?
- Where was your brother living?
- When were they not calling us?
- How was Mohan solving this question?
- How many guests were not eating food last night?
Translate the following sentences into English
Translate from Hindi to English.
- मैं कल एक पुस्तक पढ़ रहा था।
- हम पुस्तकालय में समाचार-पत्र पढ
- थे।
- यह लड़की कल रो रही थी।
- वह लड़का हँस रहा था।
- वे लड़के बूढ़े व्यक्ति का मजाक नहीं बना रहे थे।
- राम का भाई टिकट नहीं खरीद रहा था।
- मैं कल पत्र नहीं लिख रहा था।
- तुम कक्षा में शोर नहीं मचा रहे थे।
- किसान अपने खेतों को नहीं जोत रहे थे।
- क्या तुम नागपुर जा रहे थे?
- क्या गवाह झूठ बोल रहा था?
- क्या जज साहब मुकदमे की सुनवाई नहीं कर रहे थे?
- क्या राम का भाई अपनी छोटी बहिन को नहीं पीट रहा था?
- क्या बिल्ली चूहे के पीछे नहीं दौड़ रही थी?
- वह कल क्या खा रहा था?
- तुम कल कहाँ जा रहे थे?
- वह यहाँ कब सो रहा था?
- वे अपना कार्य क्यों नहीं कर रहे थे?
- सुरेश को कल कौन बुला रहा था?
Content Writer– Mohammad Anas.….. Edited by– Shadab Akhtar.