Read and learn about past continuous!
First, revise present continuous from 4th grade!
Past continuous is a verb tense used to describe actions that were in progress at a particular time in the past, often interrupted by another action. It often answers the question "What was happening?"
For example:
Yesterday at 10 a.m. I was walking to the store.
She was studying when I called her.
She was studying when I called her.
Use of Past Continuous:
- Past actions in progress
We use the past continuous to talk about actions that were in progress (not finished) at a specific moment in the past.
For example:
‘What were you doing at 6?’ ‘I was doing my homework.’
When I saw them yesterday, they were playing football.
‘What were you doing at 6?’ ‘I was doing my homework.’
When I saw them yesterday, they were playing football.
The specific moment in the past can be described by a time expression (at 9 a.m., at midday, at lunchtime, all morning, all day, etc.).
For example:
They were swimming at 7 in the morning.
At midday, they were still working.
They were swimming at 7 in the morning.
At midday, they were still working.
The specific moment in the past can also be described by a simple past action.
For example:
They were swimming when I saw them.
When she arrived, they were still working.
They were swimming when I saw them.
When she arrived, they were still working.
- Actions happening at the same time in the past
We use past continuous to describe actions that were happening at the same time in the past.
For example:
I was cooking dinner while my friend was setting the table.
They were playing football when I arrived at the park.
They were playing football when I arrived at the park.
- Repeated past actions
We can also use past continuous to describe actions that were happening repeatedly over a period of time in the past.
For example:
When I was a child, I was playing outside every day.
He was always talking during the meetings last year.
He was always talking during the meetings last year.
- Describing a scene
We often use the past continuous at the beginning of a story to describe the situation.
For example:
It was getting late, and I was walking home. Suddenly, …
It was getting late, and I was walking home. Suddenly, …
Formation of Past Continuous
- The structure of affirmative sentences:
Subject + was/were + verb (-ing).
For example:
I was reading.
You were sleeping.
- The structure of negative sentences:
Subject + was/were + not + verb (-ing).
For example:
I wasn't reading.
You weren't sleeping.
- The structure of questions:
Was/Were + subject + verb (-ing)?
For example:
Was I reading?
Were you sleeping?
Compare and Contrast
- Past Simple vs Past Continuous:
We use the past simple for completed actions in the past, but we use the past continuous for actions in progress (not finished) in the past.
For example:
She ate an ice cream yesterday. (the action is finished)
She was eating an ice cream when I saw her. (the action was not finished)
She ate an ice cream yesterday. (the action is finished)
She was eating an ice cream when I saw her. (the action was not finished)
The past simple describes a shorter action or event, but the past continuous describes a longer action or situation.
For example:
I met Michael while he was waiting for a bus.
We didn’t go out because it was raining.
The short action in past simple often interrupts the longer action in past continuous.
I met Michael while he was waiting for a bus.
We didn’t go out because it was raining.
The short action in past simple often interrupts the longer action in past continuous.
For example:
He was playing football when he broke his arm.
When I went to bed, it was raining.
We use only the past simple for completed actions that happened one after the other (chronological order).
He was playing football when he broke his arm.
When I went to bed, it was raining.
We use only the past simple for completed actions that happened one after the other (chronological order).
For example:
I finished my homework, ate dinner, and went to bed.
Compare these sentences:
When we arrived, mom was making a cake. (The action of making a cake started before we arrived.)
When we arrived, mom made a cake. (The action of making a cake started after he arrived.)
When we arrived, mom made a cake. (The action of making a cake started after he arrived.)
Svarīgi!
The word when is often used to introduce the past simple action.
For example:
When we arrived, mom was making a cake.
Svarīgi!
The word while is often used to introduce the past continuous action.
For example:
While I was studying for my test, my friend called me.