1. Isabel was cooking when the telephone rang (past continuous)

 
Any doubt about the Past Continuous tense?
Before starting with the topic, here you can listen to lots of examples of sentences in past progressive. They are clear and brief. Watch it, because it is an enjoyable way to learn this tense.

Caso práctico

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We are sure you can identify the Past Continuous in affirmative form.
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Paco was visiting the Royal Pavilion in Brighton and was walking around the Lanes. The Lanes are a collection of narrow lanes, famous for their small shops and several antique shops and narrow alleyways.

He tried to speak with his family on the phone every day but sometimes it was too late or he was too busy to call.

One night, Isabel was cooking when the telephone rang. She was wondering what Paco was doing in Brighton. In fact, she was expecting a call coming from Britain. It was Paco, indeed.

They spoke for a long time. Isabel was alone at home and Paco couldn't speak to Sonia. His father was also out, so Paco told his mother about the places he was visiting and that he was also learning a lot about British culture.

Imagen de Diliffen Wikimedia. Licencia CC

Reflexiona

Do you remember the reasons why you can use a Past Continuous in an English sentence?

Importante

A SLIGHT DIFFERENCE IN USE BETWEEN THE PAST SIMPLE AND THE PAST CONTINUOUS

In the Past Simple, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished:

Yesterday at midnight I listened to the radio (I started listening to it at midnight)

However, in the Past Continuous a specific time only shows what was happening, in progress at that time. It is not that the action started or finished at that time, but that the action was already in progress.

Yesterday at midnight I was listening to the radio

(I started earlier than midnight. At midnight I was already listening to the radio)

Traducción

En Past Simple, un tiempo específico denota cuando empezó o terminó una acción :

Yesterday at midnight I listened to the radio (I started listening to it at midnight)

 Ayer a medianoche escuché la radio (o sea, empecé a escuchar la radio a las 12).

Sin embargo, con Past Continuous, un tiempo específico indica que estaba ya pasando en ese momento. No es que empezó o terminó a esa hora sino la acción ya estaba en progreso:

Yesterday at midnight I was listening to the radio

(Ayer a medianoche estaba escuchando la radio) (o sea empecé antes de las 12, y seguía haciéndolo cuando dieron las 12.)

Comprueba lo aprendido

Complete the blanks with the Past Continuous forms of the verbs in brackets.
When I phoned my friends they (TO HOLD) a party at home. Some of them (TO PLAY) monopoly, others (TO PREPARE) dinner for their children. The boys (TO SWIM) in the pool and the girls (TO LISTEN) to music in the sitting room, except one of them who (TO WATCH) TV. The little children were practising (TO PRACTISE) the guitar in the garden. A neighbour (TO COMPLAIN) about the noise they (TO MAKE).

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Para saber más

About the Past Continuous Tense: explanations in Spanish.
Click here to learn about the forms and uses of the Past Continuous or Past Progressive.