Past Continuous

The past continuous tense is a very useful tense in English. 

It helps us describe actions that were happening at a specific time in the past. 

Let’s take a closer look at how to use it!

How to Make the Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous tense is made with:

was/were + verb + ing

The was/were makes it the past, and the verb+ing makes it continuous. 

Examples:

• “I was reading a book at 8 p.m. last night.”

• “They were watching a movie when the lights went out.”

When Do We Use the Past Continuous Tense?

1. To describe an action happening at a specific time in the past

We use the past continuous to talk about what someone was doing at a particular moment.

e.g. “At 10 a.m. yesterday, I was having breakfast.”

✅ Use it when you know exactly when the action was happening.

2. To describe two actions happening at the same time in the past

We use the past continuous for two ongoing actions that happened at the same time.

e.g. “While I was cooking, my brother was cleaning the house.”

✅ Use it when two activities are in progress at the same time.

3. To set the scene in a story

The past continuous is great for describing background actions.

e.g. “The sun was setting, and the birds were singing.”

✅ Use it to create a vivid image of the situation.

4. To describe an interrupted action

We use the past continuous for an action that was happening when another action (in the past simple) interrupted it.

e.g. “I was taking a shower when the doorbell rang.”

✅ Use it to show an ongoing action that was stopped by another event.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Using the wrong helping verb

e.g. “She is watching TV yesterday.” (❌ Wrong) 

→ “She was watching TV yesterday.” (✔️ Correct)

❌ Forgetting to add -ing to the verb

e.g. “I was cook dinner.” (❌ Wrong) 

→ “I was cooking dinner.” (✔️ Correct)

Quick Practice

Try to make sentences with the past continuous tense:

1. What were you doing at 7 p.m. yesterday?

2. Can you describe two actions that were happening at the same time yesterday?

3. Write a sentence about an interrupted action in your life.

Quick Summary:

Structure: was/were + verb + -ing

Uses:

• Action happening at a specific time in the past
• Two actions happening at the same time
• Setting the scene in a story
• Interrupted actions

The past continuous tense is a simple but powerful way to talk about the past in more detail.
Practice using it in sentences to make your English more natural and descriptive!