Form
Positive
| Subject | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I / He / She / It | was + verb-ing | I was sleeping at midnight. |
| You / We / They | were + verb-ing | They were talking in the corridor. |
Negative
| Subject | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I / He / She / It | wasn't + verb-ing | She wasn't listening. |
| You / We / They | weren't + verb-ing | We weren't watching TV. |
Questions
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Yes/No | Was/Were + subject + verb-ing? | Were you working at 9 p.m.? |
| Wh- | Wh- + was/were + subject + verb-ing? | What were you doing? |
Use
| Use | Examples |
|---|---|
| Action in progress at a specific past time |
At 10 p.m. last night, I was reading in bed.
This time yesterday she was flying to New York.
|
| Background scene in a story |
The sun was shining and birds were singing when he left the house.
|
| Two actions happening simultaneously |
She was cooking while he was setting the table.
|
When and While
This is the most important use of the Past Continuous — describing an interrupted action:
Long action (background)
Short action (interruption)
I was walking home
when it started to rain.
While she was studying,
her phone rang.
Rule:
Use while with the long background action (Past Continuous). Use when with the short interrupting action (Past Simple). "I was watching TV when he called." — "While I was watching TV, he called."
Common mistake:
"I was at home this weekend" ❌ — This describes where you were, not what you were doing. Use Past Simple: "I stayed at home this weekend." ✓
Signal words
when
while
as
at this time yesterday
at 10 p.m. last night
all day / all morning
this time last year
Exercises
Exercise 1 — Fill in the blank
Use the Past Continuous form of the verb in brackets.
1.
It (rain) when I left work.
2.
What (you / do) at 8 last night?
3.
He (not / listen), so he missed the announcement.
4.
They (talk) for hours.
5.
While she (cook), the phone rang.
Exercise 2 — Past Simple or Past Continuous?
Choose the correct form.
1. I _____ TV when the lights went out.
2. While she was sleeping, someone _____ the window.
3. At midnight, they _____ in the garden.
4. _____ your keys this morning? (short completed action)