[Grammar] Past Continuous: was throwing a tantrum

[naweewra]

Hello,

Rightly or wrongly, I instinctively (as a non-native) say,

"She has always been such a difficult child. She was throwing another tantrum this morning too."

But I can't answer myself WHY I would use Past Continuous in this sentence. If my instinct is correct, can someone please give me a grammatical reason for the usage?

If I'm wrong, can you please explain why?

And can you please have a look at the following sentences and the tenses? (FYI, these are made-up sentences, I don't believe in spanking.)

Molly was having another one of her tantrums this morning. So I gave her a spank. She has always been a difficult child. But I have had enough!

Thank you.

Nawee

 

[EnglishFix]

Hi Nawee, this is an interesting question.

I think it is correct because you are describing an action that is in progress (a tantrum) at a specific time (this morning).

 

[emsr2d2]

If the tantrum is over and you are relaying the events later in the day, then "She threw another tantrum this morning" would be the appropriate use of tense - past simple. However, if you combine it with another simultaneous event then you could use the past continuous - "She was throwing another tantrum when I went into her room this morning". The tantrum was ongoing at the time of the other action (that of you entering her room).

 

[naweewra]

Can't the tantrum be the background/reason and the spanking interrupted her tantrum? Something along this line:

He was looking for a pen. So I lent him mine.

Nawee

 

[Raymott]

Can't the tantrum be the background/reason and the spanking interrupted her tantrum? Something along this line:

He was looking for a pen. So I lent him mine.

Nawee

Yes it can. I'd assume ems was answering your first question, which doesn't include a subsequent action.