Grammar
Past continuous: actions in progress in the past
You were on a bus when your phone rang. Which action was already happening?
You can use this form when an activity was happening at a past time. You'll choose it from clues in the scene.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
past continuous past-con-TIN-yoo-us
The short answer
Use was or were plus a verb ending in -ing for an action in progress. At eight, Mia was cooking dinner.
At eight, Mia was cooking dinner.
Why it works: The time phrase shows the action was already happening.
3 more examples
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Mia's kitchen
At eight, Mia was cooking when her brother called.
The cooking was in progress when her brother called.
Not this:At eight, Mia
was cookwhen her brother called. What changes: The helper is right, but the action word is missing -ing. -
A phone call
I was reading when my phone rang.
You show the reading around the time of the phone call.
Not this:
I readwhen my phone rang. What changes: It presents the reading as a whole event, so the background view is less clear. -
Making dinner
We were cooking while Dad was setting the table.
You show both activities happening at the same time.
Not this:We
cookedwhile Dad set the table. What changes: It presents both tasks as finished, not as activities around that time.
Quick check
Which sentence shows Mia's action at 8 pm?
Dinner at 8 pm
At 8 pm, Mia was in the middle of cooking dinner, and it wasn't ready.
Answer: Mia was cooking dinner.
Show the answer
Answer: Mia was cooking dinner.
Use was plus -ing for an action in progress. The unfinished meal gives the clue.
Read the full guide
At eight, Mia stood by the stove. Her brother knocked, so she looked up from the soup. You need a way to show what was happening before that quick event.
The scene behind the event
The problem: I use the past simple when an action was already happening at that time.
At eight, Mia stood by the stove. You could hear the soup bubbling when her brother called. The cooking was in progress at eight and continued after the call. Look at the longer activity.
You picture this activity around eight.
Mia was cooking when he called.
You present this as one step in the story.
Her brother called.
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I was reading when my phone rang.
Why it works: The reading was in progress before the phone rang.
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They were walking when it started to rain.
Why it works: The walk was in progress when the rain started.
Your turn
Which sentence shows what Mia was doing at 8 pm?
Mia's kitchen at 8 pm
At 8 pm, Mia was in the middle of cooking dinner.
Answer: Mia was cooking dinner.
Show the answer
Answer: Mia was cooking dinner.
The time clue shows cooking was in progress, so choose the past continuous.
Small parts, clear changes
The problem: I change the main verb but forget was or were.
At lunch, Leo was writing a message about class when his teacher called. Build the verb in two moves: choose was or were, then add -ing. Choose the helper first.
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Not this:
They was waiting outside.Say: They were waiting outside.
You need were with they. Keep -ing on waiting.
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Not this:
I was wait for the bus.Say: I was waiting for the bus.
After was, use the -ing form.
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She was packing her bag.
Why it works: You use was with she before the action.
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We weren't watching TV.
Why it works: You can shorten were not in a negative sentence.
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Were you waiting for me?
Why it works: You put were before you in a question.
Your turn
Fill both missing parts with the correct form.
Waiting for a train
Answer: At six, they were waiting for the train.
Show the answer
Answer: were waiting
They use were, and the time clue needs -ing for an action in progress.
One action, two views
The problem: I use the past continuous for the short event that moves the story forward.
On the train, Nia was reading when her friend called. You can treat reading as the background. Her friend's call moves the story forward.
You picture the activity around a past time.
Nia was reading when her friend called.
You present one finished step.
Her friend called.
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While I was walking, I saw a fox.
Why it works: The walk was in progress, but seeing the fox was one event.
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They were talking when the lights went out.
Why it works: The talking was in progress before the lights went out.
Your turn
Which words name the short event that changed the story?
Boxes and a phone
I was carrying the boxes when the phone rang, but I wasn't hurt.
Answer: The phone rang.
Show the answer
Answer: The phone rang.
Rang names the short event, while carrying was already happening.
Before you go
Question 1 of 4
Which sentence shows the action already in progress?
A film and a phone call
At nine, I was watching a film when Sam called. I wasn't free.
Answer: I was watching a film, and I wasn't free.
Show the answer
Answer: I was watching a film, and I wasn't free.
The longer action uses was plus -ing. Sam's call is the short event.
Question 2 of 4
Which sentence uses the form for Mia's unfinished action?
Dinner at seven
At seven, Mia was in the middle of cooking dinner, and she wasn't finished.
Answer: She was cooking dinner, and she wasn't finished.
Show the answer
Answer: She was cooking dinner, and she wasn't finished.
Mia takes was, and cooking shows the action was still happening at seven.
Question 3 of 4
Which sentence names the short event?
A walk and a fallen branch
Nora was walking home when a branch fell across the path, but she wasn't hurt.
Answer: A branch fell across the path.
Show the answer
Answer: A branch fell across the path.
Fell names the short event, while was walking gives the background action.
Remember this
The trap is losing was or were. Try one sentence about something you were doing at a past time.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Past continuous: actions in progress in the past"
How do I form the past continuous?
Use was or were followed by the verb's -ing form. Use was with I, he, she, and it. Use were with you, we, and they.
At noon, Rosa was painting the kitchen wall.
When should I use the past continuous instead of the past simple?
Use the past continuous for an activity already in progress around a past time. Use the past simple for the completed event that happens during that background activity.
Marta was closing the café when a delivery truck arrived.
Can I use the past continuous for two actions happening at the same time?
Yes. You can use while or as to connect two longer activities. The continuous forms show that both activities were in progress at the same time.
While Priya was taking notes, Omar was drawing the diagram.
How do I make past continuous negatives and questions?
For a negative, put not after was or were; you can shorten these forms to wasn't or weren't. For a question, move was or were before the subject.
Noah wasn't sleeping at midnight.
Were the children waiting outside?
Can the past continuous describe repeated past actions?
Yes, when the repeated actions form temporary background activity. Counted or main events usually use the past simple. Use used to for an old habit or situation that is no longer true.
That month, Jules was cycling to work every morning.
I emailed the landlord three times yesterday.
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