What is the past continuous and how do we use it?

There are three main uses of the past continuous tense in English.

We can use the past continuous:

• For actions in progress in the past that were interrupted by another action.
• For two actions in progress in the past at the same time.
• To talk about repetition and/or irritation.

Usage 1:

• For actions in progress in the past that were interrupted by another action.

Positive: subject + past of be + verb + ing

Example:  I was eating a cake when I decided to go on a diet.

Negative: subject + past of be + not + verb + ing

Example:  I wasn’t eating a cake when I decided to go on a diet.

Question: past of be + subject + verb + ing

Example:  Were you eating a cake when you decided to go on a diet?

Usage 2:

• For two actions in progress in the past at the same time.

Positive: subject + past of be + verb + ing

Example:  He was listening to his wife’s story while he was watching the football.

Negative: subject + past of be + not + verb + ing

Example:  He wasn’t listening to his wife’s story while he was watching the football.

Question: past of be + subject + verb + ing

Example:  Was he listening to his wife’s story while he was watching the football?

Usage 3:

• To talk about repetition in the past and/or irritation

Positive: subject + past of be + always + verb + ing

Example:  They were always arguing.

Negative: subject + past of be + not + always + verb + ing

Example:  They weren’t always arguing.

Question: past of be + subject + always + verb + ing

Example:  Were they always arguing?

Grammar Sheet