Keywords
Abstract
The Past Continuous tense, also known as the Past Progressive, represents an essential grammatical form used to describe actions that were in progress at a particular moment in the past. This article examines how the Past Continuous is presented, defined, and explained in several influential English grammar sources, including works by A. J. Thomson and A. Martinet, Raymond Murphy, Michael Swan, Betty Schrampfer Azar, George Yule, L. G. Alexander, and Marcella Frank. By comparing these descriptions, the article aims to highlight commonalities, theoretical variations, pedagogical approaches, and practical implications of this tense. The findings show that although all authors agree on the fundamental meaning of the Past Continuous, their approaches differ in emphasis, detail, and linguistic interpretation. This comparative analysis provides learners, teachers, and researchers with a deeper understanding of the tense and its functional complexity.
References
1. Azar, B. S. (1999). Understanding and Using English Grammar. Pearson Education.
2. Frank, M. (1972). Modern English: A Practical Reference Guide. Prentice Hall
3. Murphy, R. (2019). English Grammar in Use. Cambridge University Press.
4. Swan, M. (2005). Practical English Usage. Oxford University Press.
5. Thomson, A. J., & Martinet, A. V. (1986). A Practical English Grammar. Oxford University Press.
6. Yule, G. (2004). Oxford Practice Grammar. Oxford University Press.
7. Alexander, L. G. (1988). Longman English Grammar. Longman.