Past continuous (Verlaufsform)

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Funktionen des 'past continuous'

Der 'past continuous' beschreibt Handlungen oder Ereignisse, die in der Vergangenheit begonnen und immer noch andauern während man spricht. In anderen Worten drückt er eine in der Vergangenheit unbeendete oder unvollständige Handlung aus.

Anwendung:

  • Häufig, um den Hintergrund einer in der Vergangenheit passierten Handlung zu erzählen: "The sun was shining and the birds were singing as the elephant came out of the jungle. The other animals were relaxing in the shade of the trees, but the elephant moved very quickly. She was looking for her baby, and she didn't notice the hunter who was watching her through his binoculars. When the shot rang out, she was running towards the river..."
  • um eine unvollendete Handlung zu beschreiben, die von einem anderen Ereignis unterbrochen wurde: "I was having a beautiful dream when the alarm clock rang."
  • um eine Meinungsänderung zu äussern: "I was going to spend the day at the beach but I've decided to get my homework done instead."
  • mit 'wonder', um eine sehr höfliche Bitte zu formulieren: "I was wondering if you could baby-sit for me tonight."
Beispiele
  • They were waiting for the bus when the accident happened.
  • Caroline was skiing when she broke her leg.
  • When we arrived he was having a bath.
  • When the fire started I was watching television.

Bemerkung: Verben, die die Verlaufsform normalerweise nicht bilden stehen in der einfachen Vergangenheit (simple past).

Der 'past continuous'

Der 'past continuous' besteht aus zwei Teilen: die Vergangenheitsform von "to be" (was/were) und der Grundform des Hauptverbs +ing.

Subjekt was/were Grundform + ing
They were watching
Affirmativ
She was reading
Negativ
She wasn't reading
Interrogativ
Was she reading?
Negativer Interrogativ
Wasn't she reading?
To play, past continuous
Affirmativ Negativ Interrogativ
I was playing I was not playing Was I playing?
You were playing You were not playing Were you playing?
He was playing He wasn't playing Was he playing?
We were playing We weren't playing Were we playing?
They were playing They weren't playing Were they playing?
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