Past continuous
An action in progress at a time in the past: I was working, they weren't listening, were you sleeping?
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We use the past continuous for an action that was in progress at a time in the past. It started before that time and was not finished at that time. The form is was or were + the verb with -ing.
Positive and negative: was, were + -ing
Use was with I, he, she, it and were with you, we, they. The -ing form is spelt the same way as in the present continuous: make → making, sit → sitting.
Subject | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
I, he, she, it | was working | wasn't working |
you, we, they | were working | weren't working |
- I was waiting for a taxi outside the hotel.
- We were living in Bristol at that time.
- Sorry, I wasn't listening. Can you say that again?
- Incorrect: They was waiting outside.
- Correct: They were waiting outside.
- Incorrect: I was work in the garden.
- Correct: I was working in the garden.After was and were, the verb needs -ing.
Questions and short answers
Put was or were before the subject. Don't use did.
Question | Yes | No |
|---|---|---|
Were you sleeping? | Yes, I was. | No, I wasn't. |
Was she working? | Yes, she was. | No, she wasn't. |
Were they waiting? | Yes, they were. | No, they weren't. |
- Was it raining when you left? Yes, it was.
- What were you doing at ten o'clock last night?
- Who were you talking to?
- Incorrect: Did you were sleeping?
- Correct: Were you sleeping?Was and were make the question themselves, without did.
In progress at a time in the past
Use the past continuous to say what was happening at a particular moment. The action started before that moment and went on after it.
- At eight o'clock this morning I was driving to work.
- This time last year we were travelling round Spain.
- What was Daniel doing at midnight? He was still working.
(He started before midnight and didn't stop at midnight.)
Compare it with the past simple, which gives the whole action as one finished thing.
- At seven I was having breakfast.
(Breakfast started before seven. I was in the middle of it.)
- At seven I had breakfast.
(Breakfast started at seven.)
Describing the scene
At the start of a story we often describe what was going on with the past continuous. Then the events come in the past simple.
- It was getting dark and a cold wind was blowing.
- The café was busy. People were talking and a waiter was carrying plates to a big table.
Actions that went on for some time
We can use the past continuous with all day, all evening, all morning to show that an action continued for the whole of that time.
- I was painting the kitchen all day yesterday.
- They were talking about the new office all evening.
The past simple is also correct here: I painted the kitchen all day. The continuous makes the action feel longer.
Not for habits or for know, like, want
For things that happened regularly in the past, we normally use the past simple, not the past continuous.
- Incorrect: When I was a child, we were going to the seaside every summer.
- Correct: When I was a child, we went to the seaside every summer.Every summer shows a habit over many years. A habit takes the past simple.
Verbs like know, like, want, need and understand are not actions, so we don't normally use them with -ing.
- Incorrect: I was knowing the answer.
- Correct: I knew the answer.Know is not an action. It takes the past simple.