LE PRETERIT CONTINU
Conjugaison
To garden (jardiner) BE (prétérit) + V-ing
|
Phrases affirmatives |
Phrases négatives | Phrases interrogatives |
| I
was working You were working He / She/ It was working We were working You were working They were working |
I
was not working
You were not working He / She / It was not working We were not working You were not working They were not working |
Was I
working...? Were you working...? Was he/ she/ it working...? Were we working...? Were you working...? Were they working...? |
Il se forme comme le présent continu, mais l'auxiliaire être est conjugué au prétérit.
Emploi
Ce temps s'emploie pour indiquer qu'une action ou un événement était en cours au moment donné du passé. Il correspond généralement à
un imparfait français.
While I was having a bath the phone rang.
Pendant que je prenais un bain le téléphone sonna.
What were you doing at 9 last night?
Que faisiez-vous hier soir à 9 heures?
Le prétérit continu s'emploie fréquemment en contraste avec le prétérit simple. Le prétérit continu désigne alors une action qui était en cours,
et le prétérit simple un fait qui s'est produit (qui généralement interrompt l'autre action).
She was walking, when suddenly she heard a strange noise.
Elle marchait, quand soudainement elle entendit un bruit étrange.