past continuous tense

Level Two

Lesson 28

Use the past continuous tense for a past action that was continuous. It started at one time in the past, and it ended in another time in the past. 

 

 

  • I was working all day yesterday. (I worked from 7:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.) 
  • My students were listening to me as I was teaching them. (They started to listen at 9:15 a.m. until I stopped talking ten minutes later.) 
  • What were you doing yesterday? 

Once you are finished with the lesson, take Quiz #28 – past continuous tense. 

past continuous tense

28a. the past continuous tense ✍🏾

singular

I was working. 

You were working. 

He was working. 

She was working. 

It was working. 

 

plural

We were working. 

You were working. 

They were working. 

This is what I was doing yesterday. 

28a. the past continuous tense ✍🏾

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  • He was working yesterday.
  • Other people were working nearby.
  • The sun was shining. 
  • Everyone was trying to get the work done on time. 

To make a verb in the past continuous tense negative, add “not” to 

was or were:  was not = wasn’t;  were not = weren’t. 

28b. (be) + main verb + ing

To form the past continuous tense, the helping verb (be) is in the past tense and it matches matches the subject. The main verb has an “ing” ending: 

Subject + (be: was or were) + _________ing

  • I was teaching English last night.  (I + was + teach + ing) 
  • You were listening to a podcast. English. (You + were + listen + ing) 
  • The students weren’t listening to the teacher. (students + were + not + listen + ing) 
  • He was helping someone.  (He + was + help + ing) 
  • The buses were waiting at the light.  (The buses + were + wait + ing) 

The past continuous tense is different from the past tense. Use it to talk about activities that take place during a period of time in the past. 

28b. (be) + main verb + ing

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  •  A: What was the cat doing?
  • B: The cat was looking out the window. 
  •  A: What was he looking at?
  • B: He was looking at some birds.
  • A: What were you doing before you came to class today? 
  • B: I was talking on the phone. 

28c. daily activities in the past

The past continuous tense is useful when talking about lifestyle, living arrangement, and past habits. 

  • Cindy was eating a lot of red meat before she switched to a vegan diet. (Cindy/she + was + eat + ing) 
  • You were living in a different country ten years ago.   (You + were + live + ing) 
  • I was learning how to paint when I lived in Paris.  (She + is + study + ing) 
  • They were having a good time until the party ended.  (They + were + have + ing) 

What were you doing ten years ago? 

28c. daily activities in the past

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  •  I was starting to get fat because I ate a lot of fried food. 

This activity was happening in the past over a period of years. 

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  •  Tony was working as a DJ and having the time of his life in his twenties. 

This activity was happening during a time in a person’s life. 

28d. two activities in the past

The past continuous tense is often used for two past activities that happen at the same time. 

  • I was working in my garden when my phone rang. 
  • I was working in my garden while my kids were playing in the backyard. 
  • As Harold was walking home, he noticed a strange light in the sky. 
  • We were eating dinner when suddenly we heard a knock at the door. 

28d. two activities in the past

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  • They walked along the boardwalk while it was raining. 
  • While it was raining, they noticed their umbrella had a hole in it. 
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  • The boy took notes as the teacher was speaking. 
  • He was listening to the teacher and taking notes. (In this sentence, the verb is compound. There is one helping verb:  was listening and taking. 

Write in your notebook. ✍🏾

Directions: Write each sentence with the verb in the past continuous tense. 

1. She  _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ yesterday. (work) 

2. It _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ when we left this morning. (rain–negative) 

3. The students _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ about their test scores. (wonder) 

4. I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ about selling my car until I found out how much it was worth. (think–negative) 

5. You _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ last night. (snore) 

6. The kids _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ a lot of noise last night. (make) 

7. The class _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ just _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ when Kate arrived. (begin)

8. I _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ just _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ a question. (ask) 

9. We _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  an efficient washing machine. (use–negative)

10. The city _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ a lot of money on mowing the grass. (waste) 

The answers are below. 

Write in your notebook. ✍🏾

Here are the answers: 

1. She was working yesterday. (work) 

2. It wasn’t raining when we left this morning. (rain) 

3. The students were wondering about their test scores. (wonder) 

4. I wasn’t thinking about selling my car until I found out how much it was worth. (think) 

5. You were snoring last night. (snore) 

6. The kids were making a lot of noise last night. (make) 

7. The class was just beginning when Kate arrived. (begin)

8. I was just asking a question. (ask) 

9. We weren’t using  an efficient washing machine. (use)

10. The city was wasting a lot of money on mowing the grass. (waste) 

 

In the next lesson, you will learn to form questions in the past continuous tense. 

Lesson Twenty-nine

Level Two