What the Past Continuous Is
The past continuous talks about something that was happening at a moment in the past. It started before that moment and was not finished at that moment. It is built like the present continuous, but am / is / are change to was / were.
NOWPresent continuous
It is happening as you speak, so the verb is is.
My sister is sleeping.
She is asleep right now.
A MOMENT IN THE PASTPast continuous
It was in progress at eleven last night, so the verb is was.
My sister was sleeping at eleven last night.
Asleep before eleven, still asleep after it.
For a moment in the past, am / is / are change to was / were, and the verb keeps its -ing. You always need both parts.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"At seven yesterday morning, we breakfast."
- Question 2
"Look! It again."
The forms
POSITIVE
Swas / wereV-ing
They were waiting for the bus.
I, he, she, it → was · you, we, they → were.
NEGATIVE
Swas / werenotV-ing
She wasn't listening to the teacher.
Was not shortens to wasn't, were not to weren't. There is no did.
QUESTION
Was / WereSV-ing?
Were you sleeping at midnight?
Was / were comes before the subject. Short answers: Yes, I was. / No, I wasn't.
-ING SPELLING
- studystudying
- makemaking
- runrunning
- lielying
most verbs just add -ing · drop a silent -e · a one-syllable verb ending consonant-vowel-consonant doubles its last letter (not w, x or y) · -ie → -ying — the same rules as the present continuous
TRY IT
- Question 1
"The children video games all afternoon."
- Question 2
"Sorry, I . Can you say that again?"
- Question 3
" your parents working last Saturday?"
When to use it
A moment in the past
At 6 p.m. yesterday, Minh was cooking dinner.
The action was not finished at that time.
Signal words: at 6 p.m. yesterday · at that moment · at this time last week
A whole stretch of time
We were cleaning the house all morning.
It went on for the whole time.
Signal words: all morning · all day · the whole evening
Setting the scene
The sun was shining and people were walking along the river.
Describe the background at the start of a story. The main events come in the past simple.
Signal words: the sun was shining · people were waiting · music was playing
Asking what someone was doing
What were you doing at this time yesterday?
A common question about a time in the past.
Signal words: What were you doing…? · Where was she going…?
Some verbs talk about feelings, thoughts or needs, not actions: know, like, want, need. They are called stative verbs, and they usually do not take -ing. Use the past simple: knew, wanted.
Past Continuous vs. Past Simple
Both tenses talk about the past. The past simple describes a finished action from start to end. The past continuous talks about an action that was not finished at a moment.
| PAST CONTINUOUS | PAST SIMPLE | |
|---|---|---|
| Example | At 8 p.m., Hoa was writing an email. | Hoa wrote three emails last night. |
| Question | What was he doing at noon? | What did he do on Sunday? |
| Often with | at 8 p.m. yesterday · at that moment · all morning | yesterday · last week · two days ago · three times |
Numbers like three emails or twice usually mean finished actions, so use the past simple. The next lesson uses both tenses in one sentence.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"We my grandparents three times last year."
- Question 2
The music started at ten and went on until two: "At midnight, the neighbours loud music."
Common mistakes
Incorrect:I doing my homework at eight last night.
Correct:I was doing my homework at eight last night.
The -ing form needs was before it. Do not leave was out.
Incorrect:The students was waiting outside the classroom.
Correct:The students were waiting outside the classroom.
The students is plural, which means they, so the verb has to be were.
Incorrect:I was go to the market yesterday morning.
Correct:I went to the market yesterday morning.
Was does not make any verb past. For a finished action, use the past simple.
Incorrect:She was knowing his phone number.
Correct:She knew his phone number.
Know describes a state, not an action, so it takes the past simple rather than -ing.
Incorrect:Did they working late on Friday?
Correct:Were they working late on Friday?
A continuous question puts was or were first. It does not use did.
Incorrect:They were swiming in the river.
Correct:They were swimming in the river.
Swim has one syllable and ends consonant-vowel-consonant, so the m doubles before -ing.
Quick check · 7 questions
Choose the right form:
My brother was taking a shower at seven o'clock yesterday morning.
- A. was taking — Correct
- B. taking
- C. was take
Answer: A. was taking
The tense needs was or were plus a verb ending in -ing. Without one of them, the sentence is wrong.
Choose the right form:
Lan and Mai were studying for the exam all weekend.
- A. were studying — Correct
- B. was studying
Answer: A. were studying
Two people joined by and make a plural subject, so the verb is were. The -ing ending never changes with the subject.
Choose the right negative:
Turn it off — I wasn't watching it anyway.
- A. wasn't watching — Correct
- B. didn't watching
- C. wasn't watch
Answer: A. wasn't watching
The negative is wasn't or weren't plus the -ing form. Continuous sentences do not use did.
Choose the word that completes the question:
I saw Huy and Nam with big bags. Where were they going?
- A. were — Correct
- B. did
- C. was
Answer: A. were
The order is question word + was / were + subject + -ing. They takes were.
Choose the right spelling:
The baby was lying on the sofa.
- A. lying — Correct
- B. lieing
- C. liing
Answer: A. lying
Lie ends in -ie, so -ie changes to -y before -ing: lying.
Choose the right form:
I wanted a new phone at that time.
- A. wanted — Correct
- B. was wanting
- C. was want
Answer: A. wanted
Want, know, like and need are stative verbs. They usually do not take -ing, so use the past simple: wanted.
Your dad started fixing the car at 2 p.m. and finished at 4 p.m. Which sentence fits?
At 3 p.m. yesterday, my dad was fixing the car.
- A. At 3 p.m. yesterday, my dad was fixing the car. — Correct
- B. At 3 p.m. yesterday, my dad fixed the car.
- C. At 3 p.m. yesterday, my dad is fixing the car.
Answer: A. At 3 p.m. yesterday, my dad was fixing the car.
At 3 p.m. the repair was still going on, so use was + -ing. B describes the whole job as finished, and C uses is for a time that is over.
See whether it really stuck.
Start the quiz · 12 questions
