Grammar › Verb Tenses › Past Continuous
Past Continuous
The past continuous (was/were + verb-ing) is for an action in progress in the past. Use it for:
- An action in progress at a past moment — At 8pm I was cooking dinner.
- A background action interrupted by another — I was reading when the phone rang.
- Two actions at the same time — She was singing while he was cooking.
Use was with I/he/she/it and were with you/we/they. For the short action that interrupts, use the past simple (the phone rang).
How to form the past continuous
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | subject + was/were + verb-ing | She was working. |
| Negative | subject + wasn’t/weren’t + verb-ing | They weren’t listening. |
| Question | Was/Were + subject + verb-ing? | Were you sleeping? |
Use was with I, he, she, it and were with you, we, they. The main verb takes -ing, with the same spelling rules as the present continuous (make → making, run → running).
When to use the past continuous
1. An action in progress at a past time
- At ten o’clock last night, I was studying.
- This time yesterday, we were flying to Rome.
2. A longer action interrupted by a shorter one
The long action is the past continuous; the short action that interrupts is the past simple.
- I was having a shower when the doorbell rang.
⚠️ Typical error:
I had a shower when the doorbell rang.→ The longer background action takes the past continuous: I was having a shower when the doorbell rang.
3. Two actions at the same time
Often with while.
- While she was cooking, he was setting the table.
Common mistakes
1. Past simple for the background action. If an action was already in progress, use the past continuous. I walked home when it started to rain (background) → I was walking home when it started to rain.
2. Past continuous with stative verbs. State verbs use the past simple. I was knowing the answer → I knew the answer. Pro tip: know, want, like and understand avoid the continuous.
3. Wrong was/were. You was sleeping → You were sleeping. Was = I/he/she/it; were = you/we/they.
✏️ Practice: Past Continuous
1. At 8 o'clock last night, I ___ dinner.
2. I was reading when the phone ___.
3. They ___ TV when I arrived.
4. You ___ sleeping when I called.
5. I ___ the answer, so I put my hand up.
6. While she ___, he was cooking.
7. We ___ listening — sorry, can you repeat that?
8. I was crossing the road when a car ___ round the corner.
9. Rewrite with the same meaning: 'During our walk, it suddenly started to rain.'
10. What ___ you ___ at midnight?
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the past simple and the past continuous?
The past simple is for completed actions (I cooked dinner). The past continuous is for an action in progress at a past moment (I was cooking when he arrived).
How do I use 'when' and 'while'?
'When' often introduces the short past-simple action (when the phone rang); 'while' introduces the longer past-continuous action (while I was cooking).
Do I use 'was' or 'were'?
Use 'was' with I, he, she and it; use 'were' with you, we and they.
Can I use the past continuous with state verbs?
No. Verbs like know, want and understand use the past simple: I knew the answer, not I was knowing.
👩🏫 For teachers
CEFR objectives for “Past Continuous”:
- Can form the past continuous with was/were + -ing in all three forms (CEFR A2).
- Can combine the past continuous and past simple to show an interrupted action.
- Can use 'when' and 'while' correctly with the two tenses.
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