The verb to see · Conjugation
Past Continuous of see
The answer: was / were seeing
B1
An action in progress in the past, often interrupted.
Quick answer
The Past Continuous of the verb to see is was / were seeing.
Example: I saw the sea (not I was seeing the sea).
Full conjugation in the Past Continuous
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | was seeing |
| You | were seeing |
| He / She / It | was seeing |
| We | were seeing |
| You (pl.) | were seeing |
| They | were seeing |
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 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. The verb see is one of them: say I saw.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate see in the Past Continuous?+
Use was or were (the past of be) + the -ing form seeing. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they: I was seeing, they were seeing. But see is a state verb: a verb for a thought, a feeling or something you have. You rarely use it in this tense.
When do you use the Past Continuous of see?+
Almost never. The verb see is a state verb. Use the Past Simple, even for a long time: I saw, not I was seeing.
What is the difference between I saw and I was seeing?+
With see, use I saw. I was seeing is not normal English, because see is a state verb.
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 see in the Past Continuous?+
With see, use the Past Simple: I didn't see, Did you see…? With an action verb, the Past Continuous works like this: I wasn't sleeping, Were you sleeping?
Related pages: see 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/see/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 see are coming soon.