Past Continuous Tense

 Unit 6  Past Continuous (I was doing) 

Mësimi 6  E shkuara e vazhduar (Unë isha duke bërë) 

 

1. Study this example situation:  

Studioni këtë shembull situate: 

 

Yesterday Karen and Joe played tennis. They started at 10:00 and finished at 11:30. So, at 10:30 they were playing tennis.  

Dje Karen dhe Joe luajtën tenis. Ata filluan në 10:00 dhe përfunduan në 11:30. Kështu, në 10:30 ata ishin duke luajtur tenis. 

 

they were playing = they were in the middle of playing, they had not finished  

ata ishin duke luajtur = ata ishin në mes të të luajturit, ata nuk kishin përfunduar 

 

 

was/were + -ing is the past continuous:  

isha/ishe (etj.) + -ing është koha e shkuar e vazhduar në gjuhën Angleze: 

 

he/she/it	was	playing  doing  working, etc.
we/you/they	were

 

 

2. I was doing something = I was in the middle of doing it at a certain time. The action or situation started before this time but had not finished:  

Isha duke bërë diçka = isha në mes të të bërit diçka në një kohë të caktuar. Veprimi apo situate filloi më parë se kjo kohë por nuk kishte përfunduar. 

 

 

 

• This time last year I was living in Hong Kong.  

• What were you doing at 10:00 last night?  

• I waved to Hannah, but she wasn’t looking.  

 

 

3. Compare I was doing (past continuous) and I did (simple past):  

Krahasoni Isha duke bërë (e shkuara e vazhduar) dhe Unë bëra (e kryer e thjeshtë): 

 

I was doing (= in the middle of an action)   Isha duke bërë (=në mes të një veprimi)  We were walking home when we met Dan. (in the middle of walking home)   (në mes të të ecurit për në shtëpi)   Kate was watching TV when we arrived. I did (= complete action)   (=veprim i përfunduar)

I did (= complete action)  Bëra (=veprim i përfunduar)  We walked home after the party last night. (= all the way, completely)  (=gjatë gjithë rrugës)  Kate watched TV a lot when she was sick last year.

 

 

4. You can say that something happened (simple past) in the middle of something else (past continuous): 

Ju mund të thoni që diçka ndodhi (e kryer e thjeshtë) në mes të diçkaje tjetër (e shkuara e vazhduar):  

• Matt called while we were having dinner.  

• It was raining when I got up.  

• I saw you in the park yesterday. You were sitting on the grass and reading a book.  

• I hurt my back while I was working in the yard.  

 

But we use the simple past to say that one thing happened after another:  

Por përdorim të kryerën e thjeshtë për të thënë që diçka ndodhi pas një gjëje tjetër. 

• I was walking along the road when I saw Dan. So I stopped, and we talked for a while.  

 

Compare:  

Krahasoni: 

• When Karen arrived, we were having dinner. (= we had already started before she arrived)  

(= tashmë kishim filluar para se ajo arriti) 

• When Karen arrived, we had dinner. (= Karen arrived, and then we had dinner)  

(= Karen arriti, dhe më pas ne darkuam) 

 

 

5. Some verbs (for example, know and want) are not normally used in continuous forms (is + -ing; was + -ing etc.).  

Disa folje (për shembull, di dhe dua) nuk përdoren normalisht në format e vazhduara (jam etj. + -ing; isha etj.+ -ing etj.).  

• We were good friends. We knew each other well. (not we were knowing) 

• I was enjoying the party, but Chris wanted to go home. (not was wanting) 

 

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Exercises  ~  Ushtrime 

 

1. Complete the sentences. Choose from:  

Plotësoni fjalitë. Zgjidhni nga: 

was looking             was wearing             wasn’t listening          weren’t looking

was snowing            was working            were sitting                 were you going

 

1. Today Hannah is wearing a skirt. Yesterday she was wearing pants.  

2. “What did he say?”    “I don’t know. I ______________________.” 

3. We ______________ in the back of the theater. We couldn’t hear very well.  

4. This time last year John ________________ on a farm.  

5. They didn’t see me. They _________________ in my direction.  

6. The weather was bad. It was very cold, and it ___________________  

7. I saw you in your car. Where ________________________ ? 

8. I saw Kate a few minutes ago. She ___________________ for you. 

 

2. Which goes with which?  

Cilat nga këto fjali lidhen me njëra-tjetrën? 

 

1  When I got to the cafe,   2  We fell asleep   3  Amy learned Italian   4  Tom didn’t come out with us   5  The car began to make a strange noise   6  The TV was on,  7  When I first met Jessica,

a  when she was living in Rome.   b  she was working in a clothing store.   c  when I was driving home.   d  but nobody was watching it.   e  while we were watching a movie.   f  my friends were waiting for me.   g  because he wasn’t feeling well.

1   f_  2 ___  3 ___  4 ___  5 ___  6 ___  7 ___

 

3. Put the verb into the correct form, past continuous or simple past. 

Vendosni foljen në formën e duhur, në të shkuarën e vazhduar ose në të kryerën e thjeshtë. 

 

 

 

I    saw    (see) Sue downtown yesterday, but she ___________  (not/see) me. She ____________ (look) the other way.

I _____________ (ride) my bike home yesterday when a man_____________ (step) out into the road in front of me. I________________ (go) pretty fast, but luckily I ______________ (manage) to stop in time, and I _______________ (not/hit) him.

 

 

4. Put the verb into the correct form, past continuous or simple past.  

Vendosni foljen në formën e duhur, në të shkuarën e vazhduar ose në të kryerën e thjeshtë 

1. Jen   was waiting   (wait) for me when I   arrived    (arrive).  

2. “What ___________ (you/do) at this time yesterday?”    “I was asleep.”  

3. “_____________(you/go) out last night?”     “No, I was too tired.”  

4. How fast ____________ (you/drive) when the accident _________ (happen)?  

5. Sam _________ (take) a picture of me while _________ (not/look).  

6. We were in a very difficult position. We _________ (not/know) what to do, so we _________ (do) nothing.  

7. I haven’t seen Josh for ages. When I last ___________ (see) him, he ________ (try) to find a job.  

8. I _________ (walk) along the street when suddenly I ________ (hear) something behind me. Somebody __________ (follow) me. I was scared, and I _______ (start) to run.  

9. When I was young, I_______(want) to be a pilot. Later I_______(change) my mind. 

10. Last night _______ (drop) a plate when I ________ (do) the dishes. Fortunately, it ________ (not/break).