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Learn · A1 to C2

Past Continuous

The tense for actions that were in progress at a moment in the past — the background of a story, and what you were doing when something else happened.

Practise nowStart at A2

New to it? Read the sections marked A2 first, answer the quick checks, then practise. Come back for the B1 sections and the rest when you’re ready.

See it in action

A2

Read or listen first. Don’t worry about the rules yet — just notice the verbs in bold.

The night the lights went out

Ben: What were you doing when the lights went out last night?

Ana: I was cooking dinner, and my flatmates were watching a film.

Ben: Was it raining at your place too?

Ana: Yes, it was pouring, and the wind was blowing really hard.

Ben: I was having a shower when it happened!

Quick check

How do we make the verbs in bold?

Quick check

Ana was cooking when the lights went out. When did she start cooking?

When to use it

A2

1. An action in progress at a time in the past

At nine o’clock we were in the middle of breakfast: it started before nine and went on after it.

At nine o’clock yesterday, we were having breakfast.

2. A longer action interrupted by a shorter one

She was cooking (a longer action in progress) when the phone rang (a short action).

She was cooking dinner when the phone rang.

3. Two actions in progress at the same time

I was studying and my brother was playing video games: both actions were in progress during the same time.

While I was studying, my brother was playing video games.

4. The background of a story

It was a cold evening. Snow was falling and people were hurrying home.

Quick check

“I was reading when you called.” Which action started first?

Practise this

Form: was / were + -ing

A1–A2
I / he / she / ityou / we / they
Positiveshe was workingthey were working
Negativeshe wasn’t workingthey weren’t working
QuestionWas she working?Were they working?
Short answerYes, she was. / No, she wasn’t.Yes, they were. / No, they weren’t.

I was reading when you called.

What were you doing at eight last night?Wh- questions: question word + was / were + subject + -ing.

Short answers

Answer Was / Were…? with was / were — never did: Yes, I was. / No, they weren’t.

Were you sleeping? — No, I wasn’t.

Was she working? — Yes, she did.Was she working? — Yes, she was.

Spelling of -ing

The -ing form follows the same spelling rules as the present continuous:

  • Most verbs: add -ing — work → working, play → playing.
  • Ending in -e: drop the e — make → making, write → writing.
  • One vowel + one consonant (stressed): double it — run → running, stop → stopping.
  • Ending in -ie: change to y — lie → lying, die → dying.
Base
run
-ing form
running

Short verbs ending in one vowel + one consonant double the consonant: run → running. Present continuous: I am running · she is running.

Quick check

My friends ___ watching TV when I arrived.

Practise this

when and while

B1

when usually introduces the short action (past simple). while introduces an action in progress (past continuous).

I was walking home when it started to rain.

While I was walking home, it started to rain.

While Tom was cooking, his kids were doing their homework.Two actions in progress at the same time: both in the past continuous.

She was texting during the film.During + a noun (the film, the meeting, lunch).

I was walking home during it started to rain.I was walking home when it started to rain.“During” goes before a noun: during the film.

Quick check

___ I was walking home, I met an old friend.

Practise this

Past continuous or past simple?

B1

Use the past continuous for what was in progress; the past simple for completed actions, one after another.

When the phone rang, she was having a shower: she was already in the shower.
When the phone rang, she answered it: first the phone rang, then she answered.

When the phone rang, she was having a shower.She was already in the shower.

When the phone rang, she answered it.First the phone rang, then she answered.

Quick check

“When I arrived, they were having dinner.” Had they started dinner before I arrived?

Practise this

State verbs

B1–B2

State verbs describe a situation, not an action — know, want, need, understand, believe, remember, prefer, own, owe, agree, mean, deserve, depend on. They aren’t normally used in the continuous, even in the past, so use the past simple.

I was knowing the answer.I knew the answer.

She was wanting a new phone.She wanted a new phone.

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Advanced uses

B2–C2

Once the basics feel easy, these uses help you complain, make plans, ask politely and sound more natural.

Show the advanced uses

was always + -ing: annoying habits

was / were + always + -ing describes a habit that happened again and again — and annoyed the speaker. “Always” goes between was / were and the -ing verb.

When we lived together, he was always leaving his socks on the floor!

She left her keys at home. → She was always leaving her keys at home!Past simple = a plain fact. Was always + -ing = a complaint.

Quick check

“He was always leaving his socks on the floor!” How does the speaker feel about it?

Plans seen from the past

For a fixed plan we say I’m flying to Rome tomorrow. When we look back at that plan from a moment in the past, it becomes was / were + -ing, often with that evening, the next day, the following week.

At a moment in the past she couldn’t help, because her flight to Rome was already planned for the next day.

She couldn’t help us because she was flying to Rome the next day.

They couldn’t come because they were moving house the following week.

Quick check

“She couldn’t help because she was flying to Rome the next day.” Was she on the plane when she said it?

Polite requests: I was wondering if…

I was wondering / hoping / thinking… sounds softer and more polite than a direct request. The past form makes the request less direct, but it’s about now.

I was wondering if you could help me.Softer than “Can you help me?”.

We were hoping you could give us a lift.

I was thinking we could eat out tonight.A gentle suggestion.

Passive: was being done

Use was / were + being + past participle for an action that was in progress at a past moment, when who did it isn’t important. Negative: wasn’t / weren’t being + participle.

The road was being repaired when we arrived.The work was in progress — not finished.

The windows were being cleaned, so we couldn’t open them.

Luckily, the room wasn’t being used at the time.

The bridge was been painted last week.The bridge was being painted last week.Being (in progress), not been.

Quick check

“The road was being repaired when we arrived.” Was the work finished?

Practise this

Common mistakes

All

They was watching TV.They were watching TV.

We wasn’t listening.We weren’t listening.

I was watch TV.I was watching TV.

He was runing to the bus.He was running to the bus.

Were you sleep?Were you sleeping?

What did you doing at eight?What were you doing at eight?

He always was complaining.He was always complaining.

Remember

  • Use it for an action in progress at a past moment: At eight, I was cooking.
  • Form: was / were + -ing: she was working, they were working.
  • A longer action in progress + a short action that interrupts it (past simple): I was reading when you called.
  • while + an action in progress; when usually + the short action.
  • State verbs (know, want, need…) stay in the past simple: I knew the answer.

Practise the past continuous

Pick your level. Gap-fills, when and while, interrupted actions, word order, “find the mistake” and more — new exercises every time.

Sample exercises by level:A1 · A2 · B1 · B2 · C1 · C2

Ready to try it?

Practise the past continuous