The verb to arrive · Conjugation
Past Continuous of arrive
The answer: was / were arriving
B1
An action in progress in the past, often interrupted.
Quick answer
The Past Continuous of the verb to arrive is was / were arriving.
Example: I was arriving at school when the phone rang.
Full conjugation in the Past Continuous
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | was arriving |
| You | were arriving |
| He / She / It | was arriving |
| We | were arriving |
| You (pl.) | were arriving |
| They | were arriving |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. You was / They was ❌
Use was only with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we, they and plural nouns: you were arriving, my friends were arriving. You always takes were, even when you talk to one person.
2. They were arrive ❌
The Past Continuous needs both parts: was or were + the -ing form. They were arrive forgets the -ing. They arriving forgets were. The correct form is they were arriving.
3. I was knowing ❌
State verbs (know, understand, want, need, like) are not normally used in the continuous. In the past, use the Past Simple: I knew the answer, not I was knowing the answer.
Practice quiz
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate arrive in the Past Continuous?+
Use was or were (the past of be) + the -ing form arriving. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they: I was arriving, they were arriving.
When do you use the Past Continuous of arrive?+
Use it for an action in progress at a moment in the past: At 8 o'clock, I was doing my homework. It often describes a long action, and a short action interrupts it: I was having a shower when the phone rang. The short action is in the Past Simple.
What is the difference between I arrived and I was arriving?+
I arrived (Past Simple) is a finished action, seen as one complete event. I was arriving (Past Continuous) is the same action in progress, like the background of a story. Compare: I did my homework and I was doing my homework when you called.
Is it when or while with the Past Continuous?+
Both are possible, but they usually go with different actions. While goes with the long action, in the Past Continuous: While I was walking home, it started to rain. When usually goes with the short action, in the Past Simple: I was walking home when it started to rain.
How do you make the negative and the question of arrive in the Past Continuous?+
Negative: add not after was or were: I wasn't arriving, they weren't arriving. Question: put was or were before the subject: Were you arriving…?, Was she arriving…? Do not add did: Did you were arriving? is wrong.
Related pages: arrive Past Continuous
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Updated on 12 November 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 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/arrive/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.
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More forms of the verb to arrive are coming soon.