Past continuous | Everyday English

1. Overview

The Past Continuous is used to describe actions that were in progress at a particular moment in the past. It is often used to set the scene in a story or to describe an action that was happening when another event occurred. Expressions such as at that moment, at eight o’clock, while and when are often used with this tense.

The Past Continuous is formed with the past form of be (was, were) followed by the main verb ending in -ing: She was reading, They were working. Negative sentences add not after be, while questions place was or were before the subject: She wasn’t reading and Were they working?

2. When do we use the Past Continuous?

We use it to describe:

An action in progress at a specific time in the past: At 10 p.m., I was sleeping.
An action in progress when another event happened: I was cooking when the phone rang.
Two actions happening at the same time: While I was cooking, Sarah was setting the table.
The background of a story or scene: It was raining and people were running through the streets.

The Past Continuous focuses on the action while it was happening, not on its beginning or end.

3. Form

We form it with was / were + verb-ing.

3.1. Affirmative

Subject + was/were + verb-ing

Subject	Form	Example
I / He / She / It	was + verb-ing	She was reading.
You / We / They	were + verb-ing	They were reading.

In affirmative sentences, was and were are not normally contracted with the subject.

The -ing ending follows the same spelling rules as in the Present Continuous: watch → watching, make → making, run → running and lie → lying.

3.2. Negative

Subject + was/were + not + verb-ing

I was not sleeping. / I wasn’t sleeping.
He wasn’t listening.
They weren’t waiting for us.

3.3. Questions and short answers

Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?

Were you sleeping? — Yes, I was. / No, I wasn’t.
Was she working? — Yes, she was. / No, she wasn’t.
Were they waiting? — Yes, they were. / No, they weren’t.

To ask for specific information, add a question word at the beginning:

Question word + was/were + subject + verb-ing?

What were you doing?
Where was she going?
Why were they laughing?

4. Actions in progress at a past moment

Use the Past Continuous when an action was already happening at a particular time in the past.

At six o’clock, I was driving home.
Yesterday at this time, we were having lunch.
On Saturday evening, Anna was studying for her exam.

The action started before that moment and may have continued after it.

I watched a film last night. → We see the action as complete.
At ten o’clock, I was watching a film. → We focus on what was happening at ten.

5. Past Continuous and Past Simple

These two tenses are often used together. The Past Continuous describes an action already in progress. The Past Simple describes an event that happened during that action.

I was sleeping when the phone rang.
She was walking home when it started to rain.
We were having dinner when John arrived.

A common pattern is:

Past Continuous + when + Past Simple

The Past Continuous gives the background; the Past Simple tells us what happened. The new event may interrupt the action, but it does not necessarily end it: dinner may have continued after John arrived.

6. Two actions happening at the same time

We can use the Past Continuous for two actions that were happening at the same time.

While I was cooking, Sarah was reading.
The children were playing while their parents were talking.
While we were walking home, it was snowing.

While commonly introduces an action in progress and connects actions happening at the same time. When can introduce an event that happened during another action.

I was reading when the lights went out.
I was reading while Anna was watching television.

These are not fixed rules: when can also be used with the Past Continuous (When I was walking home, I saw Anna). The choice of tense depends on the meaning of the action.

7. Describing the background of a story

The Past Continuous is often used to describe the scene or background of a story.

It was getting dark. The wind was blowing and people were hurrying home. A man was standing alone outside the station.

It tells us what was happening around the main events. The Past Simple then moves the story forward:

Suddenly, a car stopped in front of the station.

Past Continuous → background

Past Simple → events

8. Common errors

Error	Correction	Explanation
I watching TV.	I was watching* TV.*	Include was or were.
They were play football.	They were playing* football.*	The main verb needs -ing.
We was waiting.	We were* waiting.*	Use were with we, you and they.
Yesterday I was finished the book.	Yesterday I finished* the book.*	Use the Past Simple to present this event as complete.
I was knowing the answer.	I knew* the answer.*	Stative verbs such as know are not normally used in continuous forms.

9. Exercises

1. A visitor at the museum

Listen to the story and answer the questions. Read the text after your first listen.

Last Friday evening, Emma was working late at a small museum in London. The museum was closed, and all the visitors had gone home. Emma was sitting at her desk and checking some documents while the security guards were walking around the building.

Outside, it was raining heavily and the wind was blowing against the windows. Emma was listening to music when she suddenly heard a noise upstairs.

At first, she thought one of the guards was moving something. But while she was walking towards the stairs, she heard the noise again. Someone was knocking on a door.

Emma called one of the security guards, and they went upstairs together. When they opened the door of one of the galleries, they discovered an elderly man sitting on a bench.

He wasn’t a thief. He was a visitor.

The man was looking at a painting when the museum closed, and nobody noticed him. He had been waiting for someone to find him for nearly an hour.

While Emma was calling a taxi for him, the man looked at the painting again and smiled.

“At least I had plenty of time to enjoy it,” he said.

Answers

Where was Emma working?
What was she doing at her desk?
What was the weather like outside?
What was Emma doing when she heard the first noise?
What did she hear while she was walking towards the stairs?
Who did Emma and the security guard find upstairs?
What was the man doing when the museum closed?
How long had he been waiting for someone to find him?

2. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the Past Continuous.

Answers

At nine o’clock, I ______ (watch) television.
They ______ (not / sleep) when we arrived.
______ she ______ (work) at six yesterday evening?
We ______ (walk) through the park.
What ______ you ______ (do) at midnight?

3. Choose the correct Past Simple or Past Continuous form.

Answers

I ______ (walked / was walking) home when I saw Peter.
While we ______ (ate / were eating), someone knocked at the door.
She ______ (dropped / was dropping) her phone while she was running.
They were sleeping when the storm ______ (started / was starting).
What ______ (did you do / were you doing) when I called? What activity was in progress?

4. Complete the sentences with when or while.

Answers

I was having a shower ______ the phone rang.
______ Tom was driving, Anna was looking at the map.
The children were playing outside ______ it started to rain.
______ we were waiting for the train, we bought some coffee.
She was sleeping ______ somebody knocked at the door.

5. Marcus and the druid

Listen to the story and answer the questions. Read the text after your first listen.

Marcus was a young Roman soldier stationed in Britain. One autumn evening, he was returning to the Roman fort after carrying a message to a nearby village.

It was getting dark, and a cold wind was blowing through the trees. Marcus was riding along a narrow path when his horse suddenly stopped.

An old man was standing under a large oak tree.

He was wearing a long dark cloak and carrying a wooden staff. Marcus knew that some of the local people called men like him druids.

“What are you doing here?” Marcus asked.

The old man did not answer immediately. He was looking towards the hills.

While Marcus was waiting, he noticed an orange light in the distance. At first, he thought the villagers were burning something. Then he heard shouting.

“Your soldiers are coming,” the druid said.

Marcus listened carefully. Men were moving through the forest, and horses were approaching along the road.

Marcus climbed down from his horse.

“How did you know?”

The druid smiled.

“I didn’t,” he said. “I was watching the birds.”

Marcus looked up. Hundreds of birds were flying away from the hills.

When he looked down again, the old man was already walking into the forest.

Marcus wanted to follow him, but at that moment he heard a Roman horn in the distance.

His soldiers were calling him.

Answers

Where was Marcus stationed?
What was Marcus doing when his horse suddenly stopped?
Where was the old man standing?
What was the druid wearing and carrying?
What did Marcus notice while he was waiting for the druid to answer?
What was happening in the forest?
How did the druid know that people were coming?
What happened when Marcus looked at the druid again?

6. Correct the mistakes.

Corrections

I were watching television when you called.
She was cook dinner at eight o’clock.
They was waiting outside the station.
Were you sleep when the storm started?
While I was walk home, it was raining heavily.
I was knowing the answer.

7. Make sentences using the Past Continuous and Past Simple.

Use the prompts to describe what was happening when another event occurred.

Possible answers

I / drive home / car break down
Sarah / have a shower / lights go out
we / play football / start to rain
Tom / sleep / alarm ring
they / walk through the forest / see a deer

1. Overview

2. When do we use the Past Continuous?

3. Form

3.1. Affirmative

3.2. Negative

3.3. Questions and short answers

4. Actions in progress at a past moment

5. Past Continuous and Past Simple

6. Two actions happening at the same time

7. Describing the background of a story

8. Common errors

9. Exercises

1. A visitor at the museum

2. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the Past Continuous.

3. Choose the correct Past Simple or Past Continuous form.

4. Complete the sentences with when or while.

5. Marcus and the druid

6. Correct the mistakes.

7. Make sentences using the Past Continuous and Past Simple.

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