Practice
Past continuous: forms and examples
At 8:00 last night, Lena was cooking dinner. The action had started before 8:00 and was still happening at that time.
Form the past continuous with was or were plus an -ing verb, and choose it when an action was in progress at a past time.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
was working, were waiting /wəz ˈwɜːrkɪŋ, wɜːr ˈweɪtɪŋ/
The short answer
Use was or were plus an -ing verb when you want to show that an action was continuing at a particular past time. Use the past simple for a shorter completed event that interrupts it.
I was carrying the boxes when the doorbell rang.
Why it works: Carrying was already in progress. The doorbell rang as a shorter event during that action.
5 more examples
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Maya was reading near the window when the lights went out.
Reading was the longer action in progress. The lights went out during it.
Not this:Maya
readnear the window after the lights went out. What changes: The past simple version presents a completed reading action after the event, not an action already in progress. -
We were walking home while the snow was falling.
Walking and falling snow were both continuing during the same period.
Not this:We
walkedhome after the snow fell. What changes: This sentence gives two completed events in sequence instead of two actions happening together. -
I was not listening because I was looking for my keys.
Put not after was to make the past continuous negative.
Not this:I
did not listenbecause I looked for my keys. What changes: The past simple negative describes a completed choice or event rather than an action in progress. -
Were they waiting for the bus at six o'clock?
Move were before they to ask about an action in progress at a stated time.
Not this:
Did they waitfor the bus at six o'clock? What changes: This question asks whether the waiting happened, without focusing on the middle of the activity. -
The children were drawing maps while their teacher was setting up the projector.
Both actions form the background of the same classroom moment.
Not this:The children
drewmaps, and their teacher set up the projector. What changes: The past simple lists finished actions instead of showing them in progress together.
Read the full guide
First ask whether the sentence shows an action in progress at a past moment. If it does, choose was or were and add -ing to the main verb. Then check whether another past event happened during that action.
Build the past continuous
Choose was for I, he, she, and it. Choose were for you, we, and they. Then use the -ing form of the main verb.
They were planning a trip.
She was planning a trip uses was because the subject is she.
Complete the form: We ___ watching the game.
Use were: We were watching the game.
Show an action in progress
Use the past continuous when the listener needs to picture an action at a particular time in the past. The action was underway then.
At noon, I was meeting a client at the station.
I met a client at noon reports the completed meeting. I was meeting a client at noon places the action in progress at that time.
Which form fits an action happening at 9:00? At 9:00, they ___ dinner.
Use were eating: At 9:00, they were eating dinner.
Use past simple for an interrupting event
A past simple event can happen during an ongoing past action. The past continuous gives the background action, and the past simple names the event that occurred.
I was speaking to Omar when my phone vibrated.
Was speaking describes the ongoing conversation. Vibrated names the shorter event that happened during it.
Choose the longer action: The alarm rang while I ___ asleep.
Use was sleeping. The alarm rang during the ongoing sleep.
Describe two background actions together
Use the past continuous for two actions that were happening during the same period. While often joins the two clauses.
While I was washing the dishes, Sam was feeding the cat.
Both clauses use the past continuous because both actions were in progress at the same time.
Choose the verb form: While the band ___, the guests were talking.
Use was playing: While the band was playing, the guests were talking.
Make negatives and questions
Add not after was or were for a negative. For a question, put was or were before the subject. The -ing verb stays after the subject.
She was not feeling well. Were you working late?
Was she feeling well? is a question. She was not feeling well is a negative statement.
Turn this into a question: You were waiting outside.
Write: Were you waiting outside?
Check the -ing spelling
Most verbs add -ing. Drop a final silent e before adding -ing, as in make to making. Double the final consonant in short stressed verbs such as run to running.
The dog was running across the yard.
Run becomes running because the short stressed verb doubles its final consonant. Make becomes making because the final e is dropped.
Choose the correct spelling: He was ___ a note.
Use writing, not writeing.
Before you go
Remember this
Use was or were plus an -ing verb for an action that was happening at a past time. Use it for background actions, two actions in progress together, and a longer action interrupted by a past simple event.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Past continuous: forms and examples"
What is the form of the past continuous?
Make the past continuous with was or were and the -ing form of the main verb. Use was with I, he, she, and it. Use were with you, we, and they. For example, She was planning a trip and They were planning a trip both use the correct auxiliary verb.
Maya was reading near the window when the lights went out.
When do I use past continuous instead of past simple?
Use the past continuous when an action was in progress at a particular past time. Use the past simple for a completed event. For example, We were walking home while the snow was falling shows two ongoing actions. We walked home after the snow fell shows completed events in sequence.
Maya read near the window after the lights went out.
Can past continuous describe an interrupted action?
Yes. Use the past continuous for the longer background action and the past simple for the event that happened during it. In Maya was reading near the window when the lights went out, reading was already in progress. The lights going out is the shorter completed event.
We were walking home while the snow was falling.
How do I make a past continuous negative or question?
Put not after was or were to make a negative: I was not listening. Put was or were before the subject to make a question: Were they waiting for the bus? Keep the main verb in its -ing form in both structures.
We walked home after the snow fell.
Why do some verbs change spelling before -ing?
Most verbs simply add -ing, but some spelling rules apply. Drop a final silent e in make to form making. Double the final consonant in short stressed verbs such as run to form running. Check the base verb before you add the ending.
I was not listening because I was looking for my keys.