Past Continuous (Progressive) Tense: English Grammar Guide

The Past Continuous Tense, also known as the Past Progressive Tense, is used to describe actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past. It provides context and background for other past actions, helping speakers and writers express continuity, interruption, and atmosphere in storytelling or conversation.

What Is the Past Continuous Tense?

The Past Continuous Tense indicates that an action was happening over a period of time in the past. It is formed using:

was/were + present participle (verb + -ing)

Formula:

• Subject + was/were + verb-ing

Examples:

• I was studying English when my friend called.

• They were playing basketball at 5 p.m. yesterday.

• She was reading a novel while waiting for the bus.

This tense emphasizes the duration or continuity of a past action rather than its completion.

Structure of the Past Continuous

When to Use the Past Continuous Tense

1. To Describe an Action in Progress at a Specific Time in the Past

We use the Past Continuous to talk about something that was happening at a particular moment.

Examples:

• At 10 a.m., I was taking my English exam.

• She was driving home at 7 p.m. last night.

• They were having dinner when the lights went out.

The focus is on what was in progress, not when it started or finished.

2. To Describe Two Actions Happening Simultaneously

When two actions were happening at the same time, we can use the Past Continuous for both.

Examples:

• While I was cooking, my sister was cleaning the kitchen.

• The students were chatting while the teacher was writing on the board.

• We were watching TV and talking about our day.

The conjunction “while” is often used to show that the two actions were simultaneous.

3. To Describe an Action Interrupted by Another Past Action

The Past Continuous often appears with the Simple Past Tense to show that one longer action was interrupted by a shorter one.

Examples:

• I was reading when the phone rang.

• They were walking home when it started to rain.

• She was sleeping when the alarm went off.

Tip: The longer action (background) → Past Continuous
The shorter action (interruption) → Simple Past

4. To Set the Scene in a Story

Writers use the Past Continuous to describe the background or atmosphere in storytelling.

Examples:

• The sun was setting, and the birds were singing.

• People were laughing and dancing at the festival.

• It was raining, and everyone was running for shelter.

This helps create a vivid image of what was happening at a certain time.

5. To Express Irritation or Annoyance About a Past Action

When used with adverbs like always or constantly, the Past Continuous can express irritation or criticism about repeated past actions.

Examples:

• He was always losing his keys.

• She was constantly talking during the movie.

• They were always arguing about small things.

This use conveys emotion and attitude.

Signal Words for the Past Continuous

These time expressions often accompany the Past Continuous:

• while

• when

• as

• at that moment

• at (specific time) – e.g., at 8 p.m., at midnight

• all day/night/morning

• the whole evening

Examples:

• While I was studying, my parents came home.

• At midnight, we were still waiting for the bus.

• She was working all day yesterday.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Using the wrong auxiliary verb

Incorrect: They was playing football.
Correct: They were playing football.

❌ Using base verb instead of -ing form

Incorrect: He was cook dinner.
Correct: He was cooking dinner.

❌ Mixing past continuous and simple past incorrectly

Incorrect: When the teacher entered, we talked.
Correct: When the teacher entered, we were talking.

Comparison: Past Continuous vs. Simple Past

Questions in the Past Continuous

To ask questions, invert was/were and the subject:

Examples:

• Was she studying last night?

• Were you listening to music when I called?

• What were they doing at that time?

Short Answers:

• Yes, she was. / No, she wasn’t.

• Yes, we were. / No, we weren’t.

Practice Exercise

Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verbs in parentheses:

1. I ________ (read) when you called me.

2. They ________ (not / watch) TV at 9 p.m.

3. ________ you ________ (sleep) when I knocked on the door?

4. The children ________ (play) in the garden while it was raining.

5. She ________ (always / complain) about her homework.

Answers:

1. was reading

2. were not watching

3. Were you sleeping

4. were playing

5. was always complaining

Tips for Mastery

• Use “was” for I, he, she, it

• Use “were” for you, we, they

• Add -ing to the main verb (e.g., play → playing, read → reading)

• Combine with Simple Past for background + interruption situations

Examples in Context

Conversation Example:

A: What were you doing last night?
B: I was watching a movie when my internet suddenly stopped working.

Story Example:

It was a cold evening. The wind was blowing, and the leaves were falling. I was walking home when I saw a bright light in the sky.

Summary

The Past Continuous Tense is a versatile tense that helps describe ongoing actions in the past, background events, and interrupted activities. It is essential for storytelling, reporting, and describing sequences naturally.

Remember:

• Use was/were + verb-ing

• It shows duration, background, or interruption in the past

• Common pairings: while, when, as

By mastering the Past Continuous Tense, you’ll gain a deeper ability to express what was happening at any moment in the past — not just what happened, but how actions unfolded in time.

FAQs

What is the Past Continuous (Past Progressive) tense and when do I use it?

The Past Continuous (or Past Progressive) describes an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past. It often provides background for another, shorter action in the Simple Past. Use it to (1) show what was happening at a particular moment, (2) describe two simultaneous past actions, (3) set the scene in narratives, and (4) express irritation about repeated past behavior.

Form: was/were + verb-ing

Examples: “At 8 p.m., I was studying.” / “They were walking home when it started to rain.”

How do I form affirmative, negative, and question sentences?

Affirmative: Subject + was/were + verb-ing — “She was cooking.”

Negative: Subject + was/were not + verb-ing — “We were not watching TV.” (wasn't / weren't are common contractions.)

Yes/No Questions: Was/Were + subject + verb-ing? — “Were you sleeping at 11?”

Wh- Questions: Wh- word + was/were + subject + verb-ing — “What were they doing at that time?”

Which auxiliary do I choose: was or were?

Use was with I, he, she, it. Use were with you, we, they.

• I was reading. / She was working.
• You were chatting. / They were playing.

What time expressions commonly appear with the Past Continuous?

Typical markers include while, when, as, at (specific time), at that moment, all day/night/morning, the whole evening.

• “While I was studying, my parents arrived.”
• “At 9 p.m., we were still waiting for the bus.”
• “She was working all morning yesterday.”

How does Past Continuous combine with Simple Past to show interruption?

Use Past Continuous for the ongoing background action and Simple Past for the interrupting event.

Pattern: Past Continuous + when + Simple Past.

Examples: “I was taking a shower when the phone rang.” / “They were driving home when it started to rain.”

What is the difference between when and while in this tense?

While usually introduces an ongoing action and pairs well with Past Continuous on both sides: “While I was cooking, she was cleaning.”

When often introduces the shorter, interrupting event (Simple Past): “I was cooking when the doorbell rang.” However, “when” can also be used with Past Continuous to focus on a time frame: “When I was living in Seoul, I biked to work.”

How is Past Continuous different from Simple Past?

Focus: Past Continuous highlights duration or background; Simple Past reports completed events.

• Past Continuous: “At noon, we were having lunch.” (in progress)
• Simple Past: “We had lunch at noon.” (completed)

For narratives, mix them: background in Past Continuous, actions in Simple Past.

How is Past Continuous different from Past Perfect Continuous?

Past Continuous = action in progress at a particular past time. “At 5 p.m., she was practicing piano.”

Past Perfect Continuous = action that started earlier, continued for a duration until another past point/event. “She had been practicing for two hours when her teacher arrived.” Use Past Perfect Continuous to emphasize prior duration leading up to a past moment.

Can I use stative (non-action) verbs in the Past Continuous?

Generally, stative verbs (e.g., know, believe, want, love, seem, understand, belong) do not take progressive forms. Prefer Simple Past: “I knew the answer,” not “I was knowing.”

Some verbs have both stative and dynamic meanings; the progressive may be acceptable with the dynamic sense: “She was having lunch” (dynamic) vs. “She had a car” (possession; stative, not progressive).

How do spelling rules work for the -ing form?

• Most verbs: add -ing — play → playing, read → reading.
• Drop silent e: make → making, write → writing.
• Double final consonant for stressed CVC (consonant-vowel-consonant): sit → sitting, begin → beginning, prefer → preferring. (But: visit → visiting because the stress is on the first syllable.)
• Final ie → y + ing: lie → lying, tie → tying.

How do I express irritation or criticism about repeated past actions?

Use adverbs like always, constantly, forever with Past Continuous to show annoyance: “He was always losing his keys,” “They were constantly arguing.” The tone implies the speaker found the behavior irritating.

Can I use the passive voice in the Past Continuous?

Yes. Form it with was/were being + past participle.

• Active: “They were repairing the bridge.”
• Passive: “The bridge was being repaired.”

Use passive when the receiver of the action matters more than the doer.

How do short answers and tag questions work?

Short answers: “Was she studying?” — “Yes, she was.” / “No, she wasn’t.” “Were they playing?” — “Yes, they were.”

Tag questions: “You were waiting, weren’t you?” / “He wasn’t listening, was he?” The tag repeats the auxiliary in opposite polarity.

What are common mistakes learners make with Past Continuous?

• Wrong auxiliary: “They was playing” → “They were playing.”
• Missing -ing: “He was cook dinner” → “He was cooking dinner.”
• Confusing tenses in interruption: “When the teacher entered, we talked” → “When the teacher entered, we were talking.”
• Overusing with statives: “I was knowing the answer” → “I knew the answer.”

How can I set the scene effectively with Past Continuous in narratives?

Combine multiple ongoing actions and background details to create atmosphere: “The sun was setting, the waves were crashing, and tourists were taking photos.” Then move the plot with Simple Past: “Suddenly, the lifeguard blew the whistle.”

Can I show two simultaneous actions with Past Continuous?

Yes. Use Past Continuous for both actions, often with “while”: “While I was preparing dinner, my brother was fixing the sink.” This shows parallel processes unfolding over the same time frame.

How do I indicate a specific time reference clearly?

Attach an explicit past time expression to highlight the ongoing nature at that moment: “At 10:30 last night, I was emailing my boss.” You can also use durations: “All afternoon, they were rehearsing.” These phrases prevent ambiguity about when the action occurred.

What are some practice prompts to master this tense?

• Describe what you were doing at three specific times yesterday (morning, afternoon, evening).
• Write a five-sentence mini-story that sets the scene with Past Continuous and then includes one interrupting event in Simple Past.
• Rewrite Simple Past sentences into Past Continuous to emphasize background (e.g., “They talked” → “They were talking”).

Quick reference: mini-checklist

• Choose was (I/he/she/it) or were (you/we/they).
• Add -ing to the main verb (follow spelling rules).
• Use with while/when/as to mark time relations.
• Mix with Simple Past to show background + interruption.
• Avoid progressive forms with stative meanings unless context allows.