Simple explanation
What is the Past Continuous? The Past Continuous describes an action that was in progress at a particular moment or during a period in the past. The important idea is that the action was happening at that time. For example, I was studying at 8 p.m. means that my studying was already in progress at 8 p.m. How do we form the Past Continuous? The Past Continuous has two main parts: the past form of be 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 working. We were waiting. Affirmative, negative, and question forms In affirmative sentences, put was or were after the subject. To make a negative sentence, add not after was or were: was not and were not. The common short forms are wasn't and weren't. To make a yes/no question, put was or were before the subject: Were you sleeping? With a question word, use a pattern such as What were you doing? Actions in progress at a specific past time Use the Past Continuous when you want to show what was happening at a particular time in the past. Expressions such as at 8 last night, at that moment, and this time yesterday can identify that time. For example: At 10 last night, we were driving home. Two actions happening at the same time When two actions were in progress at the same time, both can use the Past Continuous. While is often used to connect them. For example: While I was cooking, my brother was setting the table. A longer action and a shorter event Sometimes an action is already in progress when another, shorter event happens. We often use the Past Continuous for the action in progress and the Past Simple for the shorter event. For example: I was walking home when it started to rain. This is an important A2 pattern for using the two past tenses together.
Grammar formula
Affirmative
Subject + was/were + verb-ingThey were watching TV.
Negative
Subject + was/were + not + verb-ingShe wasn't sleeping.
Yes/no question
Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?Were you studying?
Wh-question
Wh-word + was/were + subject + verb-ing?What were you doing?
Action in progress + shorter event
Past Continuous + when + Past SimpleI was driving when my phone rang.
Two simultaneous actions
Past Continuous + while + Past ContinuousI was cooking while he was washing the dishes.
Core rules
- 1
Use was with I, he, she, and it
Use was + verb-ing with I, he, she, and it: I was reading. She was working.
- 2
Use were with you, we, and they
Use were + verb-ing with you, we, and they: You were talking. They were playing.
- 3
Make negatives with not
Put not after was or were: He was not sleeping. We were not waiting. Wasn't and weren't are the usual short forms.
- 4
Put was or were first in yes/no questions
Move was or were before the subject: Was she working? Were they studying?
- 5
Use question word + was/were for information questions
Put the question word first, followed by was or were, the subject, and the -ing form: What were you doing? Where was he going?
- 6
Use the Past Continuous for an action in progress
Use this tense when an action was happening at a particular point in the past and you want to focus on its progress at that time.
- 7
Use it for simultaneous actions
When two actions were happening during the same period, both can be in the Past Continuous: She was reading while I was cooking.
- 8
Combine it with the Past Simple
A longer action in progress often uses the Past Continuous, while a shorter event that happens during it uses the Past Simple: We were eating when the phone rang.
- 9
Form the -ing verb correctly
For most verbs, add -ing: work → working. Usually remove a final silent e: make → making. With some short verbs, double the final consonant: sit → sitting.
Useful examples
I was studying at 9 last night.
I was in the middle of studying at nine last night.
The studying was in progress at a specific time in the past.
She was waiting for the bus when I saw her.
She was already waiting for the bus at the time I saw her.
Waiting was the action in progress; seeing her was the shorter event.
We were having dinner at that time.
We were in the middle of eating dinner then.
At that time identifies the past moment when the activity was happening.
They weren't listening to the teacher.
They were not paying attention to the teacher at that time.
Weren't is the short form of were not.
Was Tom sleeping when you called?
Was Tom asleep and in the middle of sleeping when you phoned?
Was comes before the subject Tom to form the question.
What were you doing at 6 p.m.?
What activity were you in the middle of at six in the evening?
This is a common pattern for asking about an activity in progress at a past time.
I was walking home when it started to rain.
I was on my way home on foot when the rain began.
Walking was already in progress when the shorter event happened.
While I was cooking, my sister was setting the table.
My sister was preparing the table at the same time that I was cooking.
Both actions were happening during the same period.
The children were playing outside while their parents were talking.
The children played outside at the same time as their parents talked.
Both activities are presented as actions in progress.
He wasn't using his phone during the meeting.
He was not on his phone while the meeting was taking place.
Wasn't makes the Past Continuous negative with he.
I was taking a shower when the lights went out.
I was in the shower when the lights suddenly turned off.
Taking a shower was the longer action; the lights going out was the shorter event.
Were they waiting for us outside?
Were they outside and waiting for us at that time?
Were comes before they because this is a yes/no question.
Common mistakes
- ❌ I was study at 8. ✅ I was studying at 8. The Past Continuous needs the -ing form of the main verb after was or were.
- ❌ They was watching TV. ✅ They were watching TV. Use were with they, not was.
- ❌ She were sleeping. ✅ She was sleeping. Use was with she.
- ❌ I didn't was working. ✅ I wasn't working. Use was/were + not to make the Past Continuous negative. Do not use did here.
- ❌ Were you study last night? ✅ Were you studying last night? The main verb must still be in the -ing form in a Past Continuous question.
- ❌ I was cooking when the phone was ringing. ✅ I was cooking when the phone rang. If the phone ringing is presented as a short event that happened during the longer activity, the Past Simple is the natural choice.
Learning tips
- Ask yourself whether the action was in progress at a particular moment in the past. If it was, the Past Continuous may be the right tense.
- Remember the basic groups: I/he/she/it + was and you/we/they + were.
- Always use the -ing form of the main verb after was or were in the Past Continuous.
- What were you doing ...? is a useful pattern for practising this tense in everyday conversation.
- When often introduces a shorter event, while often introduces an action that continues for some time or happens simultaneously with another action.
- Do not choose between the Past Simple and Past Continuous only by looking for signal words. Think about whether the speaker presents the action as an event or as something in progress.
Practise this topic
Interactive exercises for this topic are coming soon.
PlannedRelated grammar
Related dictionary words
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Past Simple and Past Continuous?
The Past Simple commonly reports a completed past event or tells us what happened. The Past Continuous presents an action as being in progress at a particular past time. Compare I studied last night with I was studying at 9 last night.
When do I use was and when do I use were?
Use was with I, he, she, and it. Use were with you, we, and they.
What form of the verb comes after was or were?
In the Past Continuous, use the -ing form of the main verb after was or were, such as was working and were playing.
What is the difference between when and while with past tenses?
At A2 level, when often introduces a shorter event that happens during an action in progress, while often introduces a continuing or simultaneous action. However, the meaning of the sentence is more important than simply looking for one of these words.
Can I use the Past Continuous twice in the same sentence?
Yes. If two actions were in progress at the same time, both can use the Past Continuous: I was cooking while she was talking on the phone.
Can every verb be used in the Past Continuous?
No. Some verbs usually describe states, feelings, possession, or opinions rather than actions in progress. These are often called stative verbs and are best studied as a separate grammar topic.