Past Continuous
The tense we use for actions that were in progress at a specific moment in the past.
If something was happening when another event occurred — Past Continuous sets the scene.
What is Past Continuous?
Past Continuous (also called Past Progressive) describes actions that were in progress at a particular time in the past. It paints the background — what was already happening when something else took place. Unlike Past Simple, which reports completed events, Past Continuous emphasizes the ongoing nature of the action.
How to Form It
+ Subject + was/were + V-ing → I was working. / They were working.
− Subject + was/were + not + V-ing → I wasn't working. / They weren't working.
? Was/Were + subject + V-ing? → Were you working? / Was she working?
V-ing — present participle: working, going, being
| + | − | ? | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I was working | I wasn't working | Was I working? |
| you | You were working | You weren't working | Were you working? |
| he / she / it | She was working | She wasn't working | Was she working? |
| we | We were working | We weren't working | Were we working? |
| they | They were working | They weren't working | Were they working? |
When to Use It
Action in Progress in the Past
An action that was ongoing at a precise, stated moment in the past+ At 8 p.m. yesterday, I was reading a book.
+ They were having dinner when I arrived.
− She wasn't sleeping at midnight — she was studying.
? Were you watching the game at that time?
Interrupted Action
A longer background action that was in progress when a shorter, sudden action interrupted it+ I was walking home when it started to rain.
+ She was cooking dinner when the phone rang.
− He wasn't paying attention when the teacher asked him a question.
? Were you sleeping when the earthquake happened?
Passive Voice in Past Continuous
The passive is used when the process itself matters more than who was performing it. In Past Continuous, this describes something that was being done at a specific past moment.
+ Subject + was/were + being + V3 → The house was being painted.
− Subject + was/were + not + being + V3 → The house wasn't being painted.
? Was/Were + subject + being + V3? → Was the house being painted?
V3 — past participle: worked, gone, been
Passive: Action in Progress
Something that was being done at a specific moment in the past+ The documents were being reviewed when the manager walked in.
− The system wasn't being updated at that time.
? Was the building being renovated last summer?
Passive: Interrupted Process
An ongoing process that was interrupted by another event+ The bridge was being constructed when the funding was cut.
− The data wasn't being backed up when the server crashed.
? Were the packages being delivered when the storm hit?