The verb to be · Conjugation
Past Continuous of be
The answer: was / were being
B1
An action in progress in the past, often interrupted.
Quick answer
The Past Continuous of the verb to be is was / were being.
Example: You were being very quiet at dinner.
Full conjugation in the Past Continuous
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | was being |
| You | were being |
| He / She / It | was being |
| We | were being |
| You (pl.) | were being |
| They | were being |
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 studying, my friends were studying. You always takes were, even when you talk to one person.
2. They were study ❌
The Past Continuous needs both parts: was or were + the -ing form. They were study forgets the -ing. They studying forgets were. The correct form is they were studying.
3. I was being tired ❌
Be usually describes a state. For states, use was or were alone: I was tired, She was 10. Use was being or were being only for behaviour at a moment: You were being very rude.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate be in the Past Continuous?+
Use was or were (the past of be) + the -ing form being. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they: I was being, they were being. But be usually describes a state, so you rarely use was being or were being. They are only for behaviour: You were being very quiet.
When do you use the Past Continuous of be?+
Only for how someone behaved at a moment in the past: He was being very rude. For a normal state, use the Past Simple: I was tired, They were at home.
What is the difference between I was and I was being?+
I was (Past Simple) describes a state: I was tired. I was being describes behaviour at a moment: I was being silly.
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 be in the Past Continuous?+
Negative: He wasn't being serious. Question: Were you being serious? For a normal state, use was or were alone: I wasn't tired, Were you at home?
Related pages: be Past Continuous
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
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/be/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 be are coming soon.