Slide 2:
We use the Past Continuous to talk about past actions in progress. The actions can also be interrupted by something (for example: "I was eating my breakfast when the telephone rang"), but there are also several other uses.
Slide 3:
Interrupted actions in progress
Events that were in progress when another event happened. We often use "when" to link these two events. Because "when" is usually followed by a sentence in the Past Simple, the grammatical structure has this pattern:
[Past Continuous] + When + [Past Simple]
Below you can find lots of examples marked "Use 2"
Slide 4:
I was watching TV when she called.
When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.
What were you doing when the earthquake started?
I was listening to my iPod, so I didn't hear the fire alarm.
You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off.
While John was sleeping last night, someone stole his car.
Sammy was waiting for us when we got off the plane.
While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly went off.
A: What were you doing when you broke your leg?B: I was snowboarding.
Slide 5:
Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.
Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.
Slide 6:
I was studying while he was making dinner.
While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.
Were you listening while he was talking?
I wasn't paying attention while I was writing the letter, so I made several mistakes.
What were you doing while you were waiting?
Thomas wasn't working, and I wasn't working either.
They were eating dinner, discussing their plans, and having a good time.