Past Continuous Tense : Introduction
When we talk about a temporary situation that existed around a particular time in the past, we use Past Continuous Tense. In other words when we say that something was going on around a particular time in the past, we use Past Continuous Tense. Past Continuous Tense is also called Past Progressive Tense.
Past Continuous Tense: Form
We use was, were + -ing form of the verb. ( Past tense of the auxiliary verb BE + the present participle)
Pronouns | Affirmative | Negative | Interrogative |
---|---|---|---|
I | I was reading. | I was not reading. | Was I reading? |
He/She/It | He/She was reading. | He/She was not reading. | Was he/she reading? |
You | You were reading. | You were not reading. | Were you reading? |
We | We were reading. | We were not reading. | Were we reading? |
They | They were reading. | They were not reading. | Were they reading? |
(For the spelling rules of verb + -ing ( present participle) refer to our post on Present Continuous Tense : Explanation, Use and Examples. )
Past Continuous Tense : Use
We use Past Continuous Tense when we talk about an action that was going on (in progress) at a particular time in the past.
Examples:-
- When I got up that morning the sun was shining, the birds were chirping on the trees.
- It was raining heavily at that time.
Past Continuous Tense is used to describe unfinished (ongoing) action that was interrupted by another action.
Examples :-
- I was watching the TV when the doorbell rang.
- We were waiting for the bus when the accident took place.
We also use the Past Continuous Tense to describe two actions that were happening at the same time (both actions were happening parallely.
- She was studying English grammar while her mother was cooking dinner.
- I was watching news on the TV while my younger brother was sleeping.
Time Expressions (adverbial phrases) in Past Continuous Tense
- At that time
- At that moment
- Those days
- When
- While
- As
Past Continuous Tense Examples
- I was studying Science at that time.
- While she was cooking dinner, her mobile rang.
- When I was going to school, it started raining.
- As my friends were playing football, the sun began to set.
- At that moment, he was solving a difficult mathematical problem.
- While I was watching TV, my mother was preparing coffee.
- When the teacher entered the classroom, the students were making a noise.
- At that time, the birds were chirping on the tree.
- As I was reading a novel, the power went out.
- When we were traveling to Bengaluru, we saw many beautiful sights.
- At that moment, the children were playing in the park.
- While she was listening to music, she fell asleep.
- When I was writing my essay, my pen ran out of ink.
- As they were walking home from school, they met their friends.
- At that time, the train was arriving at the station.
- While he was studying for his exam, his sister was watching a movie.
- When we were having dinner, the lights suddenly flickered.
- As I was practicing guitar, I heard a loud noise outside.
- At that moment, the teacher was explaining a difficult concept.
- While they were waiting for the bus, it started to rain heavily.
- When I was playing football, I twisted my ankle.
- As she was baking a cake, the oven stopped working.
- At that time, the students were discussing the upcoming exam.
- He was listening to the lecture while his brother was taking notes.
- When they were visiting the zoo, they saw a lion roaring.
- As I was crossing the road, I saw my friend on the other side of the road.
- At that moment, the bell was ringing for the next class.
- She was studying for her English test while her brother was playing video games.
- When I was riding my bike, I saw a rainbow in the sky.
- As they were working on their project, they faced a problem.
- At that time, the sun was setting in the west.
- While he was practicing dance moves, his sister was singing loudly.
- When we were walking through the forest, we heard birds chirping.
- As I was browsing the internet, I came across an interesting article on Gyankundli.
- At that moment, the students were presenting their science experiments.
- While they were waiting for the train, they bought some snacks from the vendor.
- When I was cleaning my room, I found my old toys.
- As she was studying late at night, she felt tired.
- At that time, the neighbors were playing music loudly.
- While he was cooking dinner, he accidentally burned the food.
[Sources : Oxford, Cambridge & Google ]