The verb to give · Conjugation
Past Continuous of give
The answer: was / were giving
B1
An action in progress in the past, often interrupted.
Quick answer
The Past Continuous of the verb to give is was / were giving.
Example: I was giving food to the birds when the phone rang.
Full conjugation in the Past Continuous
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | was giving |
| You | were giving |
| He / She / It | was giving |
| We | were giving |
| You (pl.) | were giving |
| They | were giving |
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 giving, my friends were giving. You always takes were, even when you talk to one person.
2. They were give ❌
The Past Continuous needs both parts: was or were + the -ing form. They were give forgets the -ing. They giving forgets were. The correct form is they were giving.
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
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate give in the Past Continuous?+
Use was or were (the past of be) + the -ing form giving. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they: I was giving, they were giving.
When do you use the Past Continuous of give?+
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 gave and I was giving?+
I gave (Past Simple) is a finished action, seen as one complete event. I was giving (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 give in the Past Continuous?+
Negative: add not after was or were: I wasn't giving, they weren't giving. Question: put was or were before the subject: Were you giving…?, Was she giving…? Do not add did: Did you were giving? is wrong.
Related pages: give Past Continuous
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Updated on 6 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 6 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/give/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 give are coming soon.