Quando uma ação estava acontecendo num momento do passado, use was ou were + um verbo com -ing. Use was com I, he, she e it. Use were com you, we e they.
was / were + -ing: estava fazendo
At seven o'clock, I was eating dinner.
They were sitting in the garden.
Not "They was sitting in the garden." — say "They were sitting in the garden.". Com they, use were.
Experimente: Ira: Who was in the school gym at eight? Amina: Some students. They ___ basketball. Escolha o que a Amina diz. (were reading / were playing / was swim) Resposta: were playing — O basquete estava rolando às oito, e com they se usa were: were playing.
Negativas e perguntas
Para negar, use wasn't ou weren't + -ing. Para perguntar, coloque Was ou Were primeiro: Were you sleeping?
I wasn't listening.
Were you sleeping?
Not "Did you sleeping?" — say "Were you sleeping?". Pergunte com Was ou Were, não com did.
Experimente: Ira: Did you see the new painting in the hall? Amina: No, I ___. I was talking to the teacher. Escolha o que a Amina diz. (wasn't looking / wasn't talking / didn't watching) Resposta: wasn't looking — A Amina estava conversando, então os olhos dela não estavam no quadro: she wasn't looking.
Passado: broke, fell, hurt, dropped, spilled
break → broke, fall → fell, hurt → hurt. drop e spill só ganham -ed: dropped (escreva o p duas vezes), spilled.
He fell in the park.
The window broke.
She spilled the soup.
Not "He falled in the park." — say "He fell in the park.". fall tem um passado próprio: fell.
Experimente: Ira: Where's your blue cup? Amina: I dropped it, and it ___. Escolha o que a Amina diz. (hurt / falled / broke) Resposta: broke — Depois de bater no chão, o copo já era, então ele quebrou: it broke. O passado de break é broke.
A ação longa e a curta
Use was / were + -ing para a ação longa. Use a forma do passado para a ação curta que acontece no meio dela.
She was running when she fell.
Experimente: Ira: Is the art room clean now? Amina: No. I ___ it when you came in, so I stopped. Escolha o que a Amina diz. (was cleaning / cleaned / was cooking) Resposta: was cleaning — A Amina parou no meio da limpeza quando a Ira entrou, então é was cleaning.
while + ação longa, when + ação curta
Coloque while antes da ação longa: while I was waiting. Coloque when antes da ação curta: when I saw him.
While I was waiting for the bus, I saw an old friend.
I was waiting for the bus when I saw an old friend.
Experimente: Ira: Where did you lose your umbrella? Amina: I lost it ___ I was walking home. Escolha o que a Amina diz. (then / while / finally) Resposta: while — Voltar a pé para casa é a ação longa, e while vem antes da ação longa.
first, then, after that, finally: em ordem
Para contar o que aconteceu em ordem, use first, then, after that e finally para a última coisa.
First we bought tickets. Then we found our seats. After that, we saw a movie. Finally, we had pizza.
Experimente: Ira: How was your Saturday? Amina: Busy! I went to class, then I studied, and after that I cooked. ___, I went to bed. Escolha o que a Amina diz. (Finally / First / While) Resposta: Finally — Ir dormir foi a última coisa, então é Finally.