English Grammar: Past Continuous Tense

Study Notes

The Past Continuous tense is formed using the past tense of the verb "to be" (was/were) and the present participle of the main verb (-ing form).
Positive sentence structure: Subject + was/were + verb-ing
Negative sentence structure: Subject + was/were + not + verb-ing
Question structure: Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?

To describe an action that was in progress at a specific point in the past:
- I was studying when my friend called.
To describe an action that was interrupted by another action:
- I was watching TV when the power went out.
To describe two or more simultaneous actions in the past:
- She was cooking dinner while he was watching TV.
To show that an action started before another action in the past and continued up to that point:
- They were already eating when I arrived.

Uses the past tense of "to be" (was/were) and the present participle of the main verb (-ing form)
Positive sentence structure: Subject + was/were + verb-ing
Negative sentence structure: Subject + was/were + not + verb-ing
Question structure: Was/Were + subject + verb-ing?

Describes an action that was in progress at a specific point in the past
- Example: I was studying when my friend called
Describes an action that was interrupted by another action
- Example: I was watching TV when the power went out
Describes two or more simultaneous actions in the past
- Example: She was cooking dinner while he was watching TV
Shows that an action started before another action in the past and continued up to that point
- Example: They were already eating when I arrived