Past continuous tense in English is used to describe an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past. It is also often used with the simple past tense to show that one action was happening when another action interrupted it. In this guide, you will learn the definition, structure, question forms, contractions, and common uses of the past continuous tense with clear examples and ESL infographics.
Related Links: Verb Tenses in English | Past Simple Tense
Past Continuous Tense
Past Continuous Definition
In the past continuous tense, the action was in progress at a particular time in the past. This tense does not simply mean that the action continued until a certain moment. Instead, it focuses on the idea that the action was happening at that past time.
We use the past continuous to talk about:
- An action in progress at a specific time in the past: I was sleeping at 11 p.m. last night.
- An action in progress when another action interrupted it: I was sleeping when the phone rang.
- Two actions happening at the same time in the past: She was cooking while he was washing the dishes.
- Background information in a story: The wind was blowing, and people were running home.
Forming the Past Continuous Tense
The basic structure of the past continuous tense is:
Subject + was / were + verb + ing
Positive Statements | Past Continuous
| Subject | Was / Were | Verb + ing | Example |
| I, he, she, it, singular nouns | was | sleeping | She was sleeping at 11 p.m. last night. |
| you, we, they, plural nouns | were | sleeping | They were sleeping at 11 p.m. last night. |
Examples:
- I was sleeping at 11 p.m. last night.
- Tom was sleeping at 11 p.m. last night.
- The boy was sleeping at 11 p.m. last night.
- It was raining all night.
- We were sleeping at 11 p.m. last night.
- The children were sleeping at 11 p.m. last night.
For making positive statements in the past continuous tense, notice how we use:
- was for the subjects I, he, she, it, and singular nouns
- were for the subjects you, we, they, and plural nouns
- verb + ing for all subjects
Negative Statements | Past Continuous
| Subject | Was Not / Were Not | Verb + ing | Example |
| I, he, she, it, singular nouns | was not | listening | She was not listening to music at 4 p.m. yesterday. |
| you, we, they, plural nouns | were not | listening | They were not listening to music at 4 p.m. yesterday. |
Examples:
- I was not listening to music at 4 p.m. yesterday.
- Tom was not listening to music at 4 p.m. yesterday.
- Anna was not listening to music at 4 p.m. yesterday.
- It was not working properly.
- We were not listening to music at 4 p.m. yesterday.
- The men were not listening to music at 4 p.m. yesterday.
For making negative statements in the past continuous tense, notice how we use:
- was not for the subjects I, he, she, it, and singular nouns
- were not for the subjects you, we, they, and plural nouns
- verb + ing for all subjects
Common contractions:
- was not = wasn’t
- were not = weren’t
Interrogative Statements / Questions | Past Continuous
| Was / Were | Subject | Verb + ing | Rest of the Sentence |
| Was | I | eating | breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday? |
| Were | you | eating | breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday? |
| Was | he | eating | breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday? |
| Was | Tom | eating | breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday? |
| Was | the boy | eating | breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday? |
| Was | she | eating | breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday? |
| Was | Anna | eating | breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday? |
| Was | the girl | eating | breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday? |
| Was | it | raining | when you left? |
| Were | we | eating | breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday? |
| Were | you | eating | breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday? |
| Were | they | eating | breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday? |
| Were | the men | eating | breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday? |
For asking questions in the past continuous tense, notice how we use:
- was for the subjects I, he, she, it, and singular nouns
- were for the subjects you, we, they, and plural nouns
- verb + ing for all subjects
Common Uses of the Past Continuous
1. Action in Progress at a Particular Time in the Past
We use the past continuous to show that an action was happening at a certain time in the past.
- I was sleeping at 11 p.m. last night.
- She was studying at 8 o’clock.
- They were waiting outside at noon.
2. Interrupted Actions with When
The past continuous is very often used with the simple past to show that a longer action was in progress when a shorter action happened.
- I was sleeping when the phone rang.
- She was walking home when it started to rain.
- They were watching TV when the lights went out.
3. Two Actions Happening at the Same Time with While
We use the past continuous to talk about two actions happening simultaneously in the past.
- While I was reading, my brother was playing video games.
- She was cooking while he was washing the dishes.
- The children were doing homework while their mother was making dinner.
4. Background Description in Stories
The past continuous is also useful for describing the scene or atmosphere in a story.
- The wind was blowing, and the rain was falling heavily.
- People were talking quietly, and music was playing in the background.
- It was getting dark, and the streets were becoming empty.
Signal Words for the Past Continuous
These words and expressions often help learners recognize the past continuous tense:
- while
- when
- at that time
- at 7 p.m. yesterday
- all day yesterday
- all night
Past Continuous vs. Simple Past
Many learners confuse the past continuous and the simple past. The past continuous shows an action in progress in the past, while the simple past shows a completed action.
| Past Continuous | Simple Past |
| Action in progress in the past | Completed action in the past |
| I was eating breakfast when you called. | You called at 7 a.m. |
| She was studying at 9 p.m. | She studied last night. |
| They were playing outside. | They played outside yesterday. |
Common Past Continuous Examples
- I was sleeping at 11 p.m. last night.
- You were sleeping at 11 p.m. last night.
- He was sleeping at 11 p.m. last night.
- It was raining all night.
- We were not listening to music at 4 p.m. yesterday.
- Were they eating breakfast at 7 a.m. yesterday?
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we use the base form or verb + ing in the past continuous?
We always use verb + ing in the past continuous tense. The correct formula is was / were + verb + ing.
Do we use was or were with “it”?
We use was with it. For example: It was raining all night.
What are the negative contractions of the past continuous?
The common negative contractions are wasn’t and weren’t.
Can the past continuous be used with the simple past?
Yes. This is very common. We often use the past continuous for the longer action and the simple past for the shorter interrupting action.
Practice Exercises
Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
- She ________ (sleep) when I called her.
- They ________ (play) football at 5 p.m. yesterday.
- It ________ (rain) all night.
- While I ________ (study), my brother ________ (watch) TV.
- What ________ you ________ (do) at that time?
- We ________ not ________ (listen) to music when the teacher came in.
- Anna ________ (cook) dinner when her friend arrived.
- The children ________ (sleep) when the lights went out.
Show Answers
- was sleeping
- were playing
- was raining
- was studying, was watching
- were, doing
- were, listening
- was cooking
- were sleeping
Final Notes
The past continuous tense is useful for talking about actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past, actions interrupted by another action, simultaneous actions, and background scenes in stories. To use it correctly, remember this structure:
Subject + was / were + verb + ing
Also remember that it uses was, the main verb is always in the verb + ing form, and the tense is often used together with the simple past when talking about interrupted actions.