Past Continuous
Description
Materials
Main Aims
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To enable students to accurately use the Past Continuous to describe actions that were in progress at a specific moment in the past.
Subsidiary Aims
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To describe background situations clearly.
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To prepare students for Past Continuous vs Past Simple contrast.
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To distinguish between completed past actions and ongoing past actions.
Procedure (107-120 minutes)
-Describe something stressful that happened recently. -Describe a situation that surprised you. -Describe something unusual you saw last month. Students speak freely. Teacher monitors but does not correct tense usage yet.
Ask students to give you the vocabulary cards of the day. Teacher checks them in case of spelling mistakes or wring definition. Put participation on the Excel.
Teacher projects some examples in Past Continuous. Teacher asks meaning-focused questions: -Was the action finished at that moment? -Was it happening before and after that time? -Is it a short action or something in progress? Teacher highlights the use and functions of Past Continuous = action in progress in the past. Teacher introduces form: was/were + verb-ing Teacher adds one interruption example (without deep contrast yet): The team was handling the dog carefully when the accident happened. Ask: Which action was longer? Which action was short?
Directions: Complete the sentences using Past Continuous where appropriate. 12 -15 items. The students read one by one each of the sentences projected and give the answer of it. Teacher clears all doubts. Repeats as needed.
Students work in pairs. Teacher gives a short scenario outline: "There was an emergency event at 10 pm. The patient was in critical condition. The team was responding quickly..." Students describe: -What people were doing -What was happening in the background Teacher reformulates key errors.
