Grammar · Verb tenses
Past Continuous
Formula: was / were + V-ing
B1
Quick answer
was (I, he, she, it) or were (you, we, they) + verb + -ing. It often goes with the Past Simple, to show an action in progress that is interrupted by another action. Example: I was reading when the phone rang.Past Continuous: how to build a sentence
Affirmative
subject + was/were + V-ing
I was reading.
They were playing.
Negative
wasn't / weren't + V-ing
I wasn't reading.
They weren't playing.
Question
Was / Were + subject + V-ing?
Were you reading?
Was she playing?
Full example: to read
| Pronoun | Full form |
|---|---|
| I | was reading |
| You | were reading |
| He / She / It | was reading |
| We | were reading |
| You (pl.) | were reading |
| They | were reading |
The 3 main uses
1. Action in progress, interrupted
The Past Continuous gives the long action; the Past Simple gives the short event that interrupts it.
“I was reading when the phone rang.”
2. Parallel actions
Two long actions happening at the same time.
“She was cooking while I was studying.”
3. Setting the scene
It describes the background at the start of a story.
“The sun was shining and birds were singing.”
Signal words
Some words almost always go with this tense: if you see one in the sentence, it is a good clue.
when (short action)
introduces the Past Simple action that interrupts
“I was sleeping when he arrived.”
while (long action)
introduces a Past Continuous action happening at the same time
“While I was reading, she was watching TV.”
at 8 last night
at an exact time in the past
“I was working at 8 last night.”
Common mistakes to avoid
When or while?
When usually introduces the short action (in the Past Simple). While introduces the long action (in the Past Continuous). I was reading when she called / While I was reading, she was watching TV.
No -ing with state verbs
As with the Present Continuous, state verbs (know, like, love...) are not used in the -ing form. I knew him ✓ / I was knowing him ✗.
Past Continuous or Past Simple?
Past Simple = a finished action in the past (I worked). Past Continuous = an action in progress in the past (I was working). They often go together: the long action in the Past Continuous, the short one in the Past Simple.
Practice quiz
Related pages: Past Continuous
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
What's next?
Past Continuous: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
Understanding a rule is only the first step. On PLAY, you use it in real situations, at your own pace, until it becomes automatic.
Practise “Past Continuous” on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersPast Continuous: a ready-to-use lesson sequence
The Academy gives you step-by-step exercises, answer keys and a tracking dashboard: you keep the teaching, and the tool takes care of the practice and the marking.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
English contestPast Continuous: often tested in the English contest
Instead of another class test, your students answer questions based on the CEFR levels, in a contest that brings the whole school together.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Frequently asked questions
When do you use the Past Continuous?+
Use it for an action in progress in the past (I was reading at 8), often interrupted by a short action (I was reading when she called), or to describe the scene of a story (the sun was shining).
How do you form the Past Continuous?+
Was / were + verb + -ing. I/he/she/it was working. You/we/they were working. Was for the singular, were for the plural and for you.
What is the difference between when and while?+
When usually introduces the short action (Past Simple): I was reading when she called. While introduces the long action (Past Continuous): While I was reading, she was watching TV. An easy rule: when + Past Simple, while + Past Continuous.
What is the difference between the Past Simple and the Past Continuous?+
Past Simple = a finished action in the past (I read a book). Past Continuous = an action in progress in the past (I was reading a book). The Past Continuous shows the action while it was happening.
Can you use every verb in the Past Continuous?+
No. State verbs (know, like, love, want, need...) are not used in the -ing form. You say I knew him (not I was knowing him).
Updated on 27 October 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 27 October 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/grammar/past-continuous
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.