🕰️ Past Continuous Tense: A Complete Guide

✅ 1. Form

The Past Continuous is formed with the past tense of the verb "to be" (was/were) + the present participle (base verb + -ing).

A. Affirmative

Structure: Subject + was/were + verb-ing

• I was watching TV at 9 p.m.
• They were playing football in the park.

B. Negative

Structure: Subject + was/were + not + verb-ing

• She wasn't listening to the teacher.
• We weren’t working on the project yesterday.

C. Questions

Yes/No: Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?
Wh-: Wh-word + was/were + subject + verb-ing?

• Were you sleeping when I called?
• What was he doing at that time?

🧠 2. Meaning and Use

The Past Continuous is used to describe actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past. It is often used in contrast with the Past Simple.

🔹 A. Interrupted Actions

Use Past Continuous to describe an action in progress that was interrupted by another action (Past Simple).

• I was cooking when the phone rang.
• She was walking home when it started to rain.

🔹 B. Specific Time in the Past

To show what was happening at a specific moment in the past.

• At 7 p.m., I was having dinner.
• What were you doing at 10 a.m.?

🔹 C. Parallel Actions

Use the past continuous to describe two actions happening at the same time in the past.

• While I was studying, my brother was playing video games.
• They were talking while we were working.

🔹 D. Descriptions and Background

Used to set the scene or describe the background in a story.

• The sun was shining, and the birds were singing.
• People were dancing and laughing at the party.

⏰ 3. Common Time Expressions

These time expressions are often used with the past continuous:

• At 8 o’clock
• All day/night
• While
• When
• As
• During

Examples:
While I was working, he was making coffee.
During the meeting, she was texting on her phone.

📝 4. Spelling Rules for -ing Form

To form the present participle (-ing form), follow these rules:

• Most verbs: add -ing → play → playing
• End in -e: drop the -e and add -ing → write → writing
• CVC pattern: double final consonant → run → running
• End in -ie: change to -ying → die → dying

❗ 5. Common Mistakes

• ❌ I was play football.
  ✅ I was playing football.
• ❌ They weren’t go out.
  ✅ They weren’t going out.
• ❌ Was you working?
  ✅ Were you working?

🧩 6. More Example Sentences

Affirmative

• I was reading a book when you called.
• They were having lunch at noon.

Negative

• She wasn’t sleeping at 11 p.m.
• We weren’t watching TV.

Questions

• Were you driving when it happened?
• What was she doing yesterday afternoon?

🧠 7. Tips to Remember

• Use "was" with I/he/she/it; use "were" with you/we/they.
• Use Past Continuous to show duration, interruptions, or background actions.
• Combine with Past Simple to show interruption: Past Continuous (long action) + Past Simple (short action).
• Don't forget to double the final consonant when needed (e.g., sit → sitting).