Practice
Past continuous tense exercise: describe actions in progress
Sign in to saveAt seven last night, Noor was cooking dinner while her children were setting the table. The actions were happening at that past time.
Use was or were with an -ing verb to describe an action that was in progress at a past time.
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
We were waiting for the bus /wiː wə ˈweɪ.tɪŋ fə ðə bʌs/
The short answer
Use was or were plus an -ing verb for an activity that was in progress at a particular time in the past. Use was with I, he, she, and it; use were with you, we, and they.
We were waiting for the bus at six o'clock.
Why it works: Waiting was in progress at six o'clock, so the sentence uses were waiting.
5 more examples
-
I was reading on the train at eight o'clock.
The reading was in progress at eight o'clock.
Not this:I
readthe report on the train yesterday. What changes: The simple past presents the report as a completed action. -
The children were playing in the garden after lunch.
Were matches the plural subject the children, and playing shows the action in progress.
Not this:The children
playedin the garden after lunch. What changes: Played describes the activity as complete rather than in progress. -
Maya was walking home when it started to rain.
Walking was already happening when the rain began.
Not this:Maya
walkedhome after the rain stopped. What changes: Walked describes one completed journey. -
We were not watching television during the meeting.
Not follows were to make a negative past continuous sentence.
Not this:We
watchedtelevision after the meeting. What changes: This describes a completed activity after the meeting. -
Were you looking for your keys this morning?
Were moves before you to make a question about an activity in progress.
Not this:You
were lookingfor your keys this morning. What changes: This is a statement, so the subject comes before were.
Read the full guide
Start by finding the past time or past event. Then ask whether the action was already happening at that time. If it was, choose was or were and the -ing form of the main verb.
Picture the action at a past time
Use the past continuous when you want to show an activity in the middle of happening. A past time phrase helps the listener picture that moment.
At ten last night, I was still working.
The work was in progress at ten last night.
Which form shows an action in progress at nine: was studying or studied?
Was studying. Was plus the -ing form shows the action as ongoing at that time.
Choose was or were
Use was with I, he, she, it, and one person or thing. Use were with you, we, they, and more than one person or thing. The main verb keeps its -ing form.
My brother was carrying the shopping bags.
Brother is singular, so use was.
The neighbours were talking outside.
Neighbours is plural, so use were.
Complete the sentence: We ___ waiting near the entrance. Choose was or were.
We were waiting near the entrance. Use were with we.
Use an -ing verb after was or were
After was or were, use the verb ending in -ing. Add -ing to most verbs, as in read - reading and wait - waiting. Drop a final e before -ing in make - making and write - writing.
She was making soup when I arrived.
Making follows was; make without -ing is not the past continuous form.
Complete the sentence: They were ___ a film. Use watch.
They were watching a film. The verb after were ends in -ing.
Show a background action and a past event
Use the past continuous for an action already in progress when another event happened. The other event often uses the simple past. When and while can help show the time relationship.
I was crossing the road when I saw Ben.
Crossing was the background action. Saw names the event that happened during it.
While we were eating, the lights went out.
Eating was in progress before the lights went out.
Choose the natural sentence: I was sleeping when the alarm rang, or I slept when the alarm was ringing?
I was sleeping when the alarm rang. Sleeping was already in progress; the alarm rang at one point during it.
Make negatives and questions
For a negative, put not after was or were: She was not listening. For a question, move was or were before the subject: Was she listening? In everyday speech, wasn't and weren't are common contractions.
They were not waiting at the station.
Not comes after were and before waiting.
Was your phone charging overnight?
Was comes before the singular subject your phone in this question.
Choose the correct question: Were they cooking dinner or Did they cooking dinner?
Were they cooking dinner? A past continuous question begins with was or were.
Check whether the action was ongoing
Before you answer, decide whether the sentence needs an activity in progress or a completed event. A completed event usually needs the simple past. An action that was happening around a past moment needs the past continuous.
The shop closed at six.
Closed is a completed event at six.
At five thirty, the staff were serving customers.
Serving customers was in progress at five thirty.
Which form fits an activity in progress at a stated time: The shop closed at six, or At five thirty, the staff were serving customers?
At five thirty, the staff were serving customers. The sentence shows what was happening at that past time.
Before you go
Remember this
Use was or were plus an -ing verb for an action in progress at a past time. Match was or were to the subject. Put not after was or were for a negative, and move was or were before the subject for a question.
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 tense exercise: describe actions in progress"
What is the past continuous tense?
The past continuous uses was or were plus a verb ending in -ing to show an action in progress in the past. In I was reading on the train at eight o'clock, the reading was happening at that past time.
I was reading on the train at eight o'clock.
When do I use was and were in the past continuous?
Use was with I and singular subjects, such as Maya was walking home. Use were with you and plural subjects, such as The children were playing in the garden. The main verb stays in the -ing form.
I read the report on the train yesterday.
How do I use past continuous with the simple past?
Use the past continuous for an activity already in progress and the simple past for an event that happened during it. In Maya was walking home when it started to rain, walking provides the background and started names the later event.
The children were playing in the garden after lunch.
How do I make a negative past continuous sentence?
Put not after was or were, then use the -ing verb. We were not watching television during the meeting is negative because not follows were. You can also use the contraction weren't in ordinary speech.
The children played in the garden after lunch.
How do I make a past continuous question?
Put was or were before the subject, then use the -ing verb. For example, Was your phone charging overnight? asks about an activity that may have been in progress during the night.
Maya was walking home when it started to rain.