The past continuous tense describes actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past. It is formed using was/were + verb + -ing.
Usage
The past continuous is used to:
- Describe actions that were happening at a particular moment in the past.
- Show that a longer action was interrupted by a shorter action (usually in the simple past).
- Describe two actions that were happening at the same time in the past.
- Set the scene in a story (describe background actions).
Examples:
- I was reading a book at 8 p.m. (action in progress at a specific time)
- She was cooking when the phone rang. (interrupted action)
- They were playing soccer while it was raining. (two simultaneous actions)
- The birds were singing, and the sun was shining. (setting the scene)
What are the four main uses of the past continuous tense?
Describe actions happening at a past moment, show interruptions, describe simultaneous past actions, set story scenes
The past continuous describes actions in progress at a past moment, interruptions by shorter past actions, simultaneous past actions, and sets scenes in stories.
Form
The past continuous is formed with the past tense of be (was/were) + the base verb + -ing.
| Subject | Be form | Verb + -ing | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | was | working | I was working. |
| You | were | working | You were working. |
| He/She/It | was | working | She was working. |
| We | were | working | We were working. |
| They | were | working | They were working. |
Don't forget to add was for singular subjects and were for plural subjects.
Forming Questions and Negatives
- Questions: Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?
- Negatives: Subject + was/were + not + verb-ing
Examples:
- Was she sleeping?
- Were you studying?
- He wasn’t listening.
- We weren’t watching TV.
Common Time Expressions
- at 8 o’clock
- while
- when
Examples:
- I was eating dinner at 7 p.m.
- She was talking on the phone while I was writing an email.
- They were studying when the power went out.
Key Points
- Use was with I, he, she, it.
- Use were with you, we, they.
- Use -ing form of the verb.
- Use time expressions like while, when, and at [time].
- Two actions: use past continuous for the longer action, simple past for the shorter (interrupting) action.
Examples:
- I was walking when I saw a cat.
- We were watching TV while it was raining.
Conclusion
The past continuous describes actions in progress at a certain past time, interruptions, and simultaneous past activities, using was/were + verb-ing.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
