The verb to lie · Conjugation
Past Continuous of lie
The answer: was / were lying
B1
An action in progress in the past, often interrupted.
Quick answer
The Past Continuous of the verb to lie is was / were lying.
Example: I was lying on the sofa when the phone rang.
Full conjugation in the Past Continuous
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | was lying |
| You | were lying |
| He / She / It | was lying |
| We | were lying |
| You (pl.) | were lying |
| They | were lying |
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 lying, my friends were lying. You always takes were, even when you talk to one person.
2. They were lie ❌
The Past Continuous needs both parts: was or were + the -ing form. They were lie forgets the -ing. They lying forgets were. The correct form is they were lying.
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 lie in the Past Continuous?+
Use was or were (the past of be) + the -ing form lying. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they: I was lying, they were lying.
When do you use the Past Continuous of lie?+
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 lay and I was lying?+
I lay (Past Simple) is a finished action, seen as one complete event. I was lying (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 lie in the Past Continuous?+
Negative: add not after was or were: I wasn't lying, they weren't lying. Question: put was or were before the subject: Were you lying…?, Was she lying…? Do not add did: Did you were lying? is wrong.
Related pages: lie 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/lie/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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