Grammar: B1 - ⚙️ Verbs in Depth: ⏳ Perfect & Continuous Tenses - Lesson 5: Past Continuous (Interrupted longer actions, background description in past narratives)

Grammar B1

auto_stories

Story Time

អតីតកាលកំពុងបន្ត (Past Continuous)

We use the Past Continuous to set the scene in a story, or to talk about a long action that was interrupted.

យើងប្រើវាដើម្បីពណ៌នាពីសាច់រឿងក្នុងអតីតកាល ឬសកម្មភាពវែងមួយដែលត្រូវរំខានដោយសកម្មភាពខ្លីមួយទៀត។

extension

extension The Formula

ទម្រង់ប្រយោគ

Subject + was / were + Verb-ing

I / He / She / It ➔ was He was sleeping.

You / We / They ➔ were They were playing.

bolt

bolt Interrupted Action

សកម្មភាពដែលត្រូវរំខាន

A long action happens... then a short action stops it!

I was sleeping...

notifications_active the alarm rang!

I was sleeping when the alarm rang. ខ្ញុំកំពុងគេង ពេលដែលម៉ោងរោទិ៍បន្លឺឡើង។

park

park Setting the Scene

ការពណ៌នាផ្ទៃរឿងខាងក្រោយ

Use it to describe what was happening around you in a story.

The sun was shining. ព្រះអាទិត្យកំពុងរះ។

The birds were singing. សត្វបក្សីកំពុងស្រែកច្រៀង។

warning The Stative Trap!

NO "-ing" for Feelings/Thoughts

(កិរិយាសព្ទបង្ហាញពីអារម្មណ៍ ឬការគិត ដូចជា know, want, like មិនអាចប្រើទម្រង់ -ing បានទេ!)

I was knowing him. close

I knew him. check

Storyteller Skills play_circle

Watch Teacher Sopheak explain how to tell a great, suspenseful story using the Past Continuous tense to set the scene!

quiz

Quick Check ⚡

ការត្រួតពិនិត្យចំណេះដឹង

build Form

They ___ playing football when it started to rain.

(តើត្រូវប្រើ was ឬ were?)

gpp_maybe TRICKY QUESTION!

Which sentence is correct?

(តើប្រយោគមួយណាត្រឹមត្រូវ?)

directions_walk

lightbulb Meaning

While I ___, I saw a cute dog.

(ពេលខ្ញុំកំពុងដើរ ខ្ញុំបានឃើញឆ្កែគួរឲ្យស្រលាញ់មួយក្បាល។)

menu_book

join Matching

She was reading a book...

(តើអ្វីរំខាននាង?)

bolt

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តជាក់ស្តែង!

The Interruption bolt (សរសេរប្រយោគ ១: "I was [សកម្មភាពអ្នក] when [សកម្មភាពរំខាន]។" ឧទាហរណ៍: I was eating when the phone rang.)

park

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តជាក់ស្តែង!

Scene Setter park (ពណ៌នាពីអាកាសធាតុម្សិលមិញ ដោយប្រើប្រយោគ ២។ e.g., The wind was blowing. People were walking.)

record_voice_over

Mission 🎯

អនុវត្តជាក់ស្តែង!

Storyteller record_voice_over (ប្រាប់មិត្តភក្តិនូវរឿងកំប្លែងខ្លីមួយ ដែលប្រើទម្រង់ Past Continuous នេះ។)

Ask a Question 🙋‍♂️

តើអ្នកមានចម្ងល់មែនទេ? សួរគ្រូនៅទីនេះ!

U

Recent Questions

V

Vireak 2 hours ago

Teacher, can I use 'while' instead of 'when'?

Reply thumb_up 9

SP

Sopheak Pich Teacher 1 hour ago

Hi Vireak! Yes! But remember the rule: Use WHILE before the long action (Past Continuous). Use WHEN before the short action (Simple Past).

Example: While I was sleeping, the phone rang. OR I was sleeping when the phone rang. ⚡