WĂ€hlen Sie aus verschiedenen Englisch LehrkrĂ€ften fĂŒr ...
Elizabeth
Heyđ Is it grammatically correct to say âI was playing the piano for 3 hours yesterday.â I have some doubts about âforâ with the present continuous. Should I use the past perfect or something?
22. Apr. 2025 07:15
Antworten · 13
1
Correct sentence:
"I was playing the piano for 3 hours yesterday."
This uses the past continuous (was playing) + duration (for 3 hours), and itâs fine.
Here's why:
The past continuous describes an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past.
The phrase âfor 3 hoursâ gives us the duration of the activity.
âYesterdayâ gives us the time reference.
So, you're saying: At some point yesterday, I was in the middle of playing the piano, and it lasted 3 hours.
đĄ Alternative â also correct:
"I played the piano for 3 hours yesterday."
This uses the past simple to describe a finished action and is more direct.
Use this if youâre just telling someone what you did, without focusing on it being in progress.
đ Would past perfect work?
"I had been playing the piano for 3 hours..."
This form (past perfect continuous) is only correct if you're setting up another event afterward, like:
I had been playing the piano for 3 hours when the neighbors complained.
So it requires a second event to justify the past perfect.
In summary:
"I was playing the piano for 3 hours yesterday." Correct. Focuses on the action in progress.
"I played the piano for 3 hours yesterday." Also correct. More direct.
"I had been playing..." Only use if it connects to another past event.
24. Apr. 2025 01:49
1
That is just fine đ
22. Apr. 2025 11:44
Hi Elizabeth. Itâs a good sentence, although itâs past continuous not present.
22. Apr. 2025 08:37
Ik that Piano doesn't take " the " before it!
22. Apr. 2025 19:15
Haben Sie noch keine Antworten gefunden?
Geben Sie Ihre Fragen ein und lassen Sie sich von Muttersprachlern helfen!
Elizabeth
SprachfÀhigkeiten
Englisch, Russisch
Lernsprache
Englisch
Artikel, die Ihnen gefallen könnten

đ October Traditions: Halloween, Holidays, and Learning Portuguese
31 positive Bewertungen · 15 Kommentare

The Curious World of Silent Letters in English
40 positive Bewertungen · 22 Kommentare

5 Polite Ways to Say âNoâ at Work
40 positive Bewertungen · 9 Kommentare
Weitere Artikel