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Unit 01
Past Continuous
was / were + -ing
What is the Past Continuous?
The Past Continuous describes an action that was in progress at a specific moment in the past. It is formed with was / were + verb-ing.
Form
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | Subject + was/were + verb-ing | She was reading when I called. |
| Negative | Subject + wasn't/weren't + verb-ing | They weren't watching TV. |
| Question | Was/Were + subject + verb-ing? | Were you sleeping? |
| Short answer | Yes/No + subject + was/were | Yes, I was. / No, she wasn't. |
Was or Were?
| Subject | Auxiliary | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | was | I was sleeping. |
| he / she / it | was | She was cooking. |
| you / we / they | were | They were playing. |
Four Key Uses
| Use | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Action in progress at a past moment | Was happening at a specific time | At 8 p.m. I was having dinner. |
| Background / scene-setting | Sets the scene in a story | The sun was shining and birds were singing. |
| Interrupted action | Longer action + shorter interruption | She was walking home when it started to rain. |
| Parallel actions | Two actions happening simultaneously | He was cooking while she was setting the table. |
When & While — Interrupted Actions
The Past Continuous is often paired with when and while to show that a longer action was interrupted.
| Structure | Example |
|---|---|
| Past Continuous + when + Past Simple | I was taking a shower when the phone rang. |
| While + Past Continuous, Past Simple | While she was sleeping, someone knocked at the door. |
| While + Past Continuous, Past Continuous | He was reading while she was listening to music. |
Signal Words
- at + time — At 7 o'clock, I was having breakfast.
- this time yesterday / last year — This time yesterday, we were flying to Paris.
- when — She was sleeping when he arrived.
- while — While I was studying, she watched a film.
- all morning / all day — It was raining all morning.
Verbs Not Used in the Continuous
Stative verbs describe states, not actions, so they are normally used in the Past Simple even when the meaning is "in progress":
| Group | Verbs | ✅ Example |
|---|---|---|
| Mind | know, believe, understand, remember, mean | I didn't understand what he meant. |
| Feelings | like, love, hate, want, need, prefer | She wanted to leave. (not |
| Possession | have (= own), own, belong | He had a red car. (not |
| Senses / appearance | seem, look like, sound, smell | It seemed strange. |
Other Uses at B1
| Use | Example |
|---|---|
| Annoying past habit (with always / constantly) | He was always losing his keys. |
| Polite requests | I was wondering if you could help me. |
| Plans that did not happen: was/were going to | I was going to call you, but I forgot. |
Annotated Examples
Subject
Verb
Auxiliary
Object
Adjective
Adverb
Preposition
Hover over any word to see its role.
subjectIauxiliarywasverbreadingobjecta bookwhensubjectsheverbcalled.
↳ Past Continuous (longer) interrupted by Past Simple.
subjectTheyauxiliarywereverbplayingobjectfootballadverbat 3 p.m.
↳ Action in progress at a specific past time.
Whilesubjectheverbwas cooking,subjectsheverbwas settingobjectthe table.
↳ Two parallel actions at the same time.
Common Mistakes
I was sleep when you called.
→
I was sleeping when you called.
Must add -ing: was + verb-ing.
She were cooking at noon.
→
She was cooking at noon.
She (singular) → was, not were.
He was knowing the answer.
→
He knew the answer.
"Know" is stative — not used in continuous forms.
While I studied, she was watching TV.
→
While I was studying, she was watching TV.
For two long actions at the same time, Past Continuous in both clauses is the most natural choice.
I was studying when she was called.
→
I was studying when she called.
The interruption uses Past Simple, not Past Continuous.
She was having a big house.
→
She had a big house.
"Have" (possession) is stative.