The verb to shut · Conjugation
Past Continuous of shut
The answer: was / were shutting
B1
An action in progress in the past, often interrupted.
Quick answer
The Past Continuous of the verb to shut is was / were shutting.
Example: I was shutting the door when the phone rang.
Full conjugation in the Past Continuous
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | was shutting |
| You | were shutting |
| He / She / It | was shutting |
| We | were shutting |
| You (pl.) | were shutting |
| They | were shutting |
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 shutting, my friends were shutting. You always takes were, even when you talk to one person.
2. Always add -ing
In the Past Continuous, the verb after was or were always ends in -ing: they were shutting. Without -ing, they were shut is not the Past Continuous, and the meaning changes. Without was or were, they shutting is wrong.
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
What's next?
Master the Past Continuous of shut when you speak, not just on paper
The conjugation is clear in your head. On PLAY, you practise it in a game, with instant feedback, until it comes out on its own.
Practise the Past Continuous of shut on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersYour whole class practises the Past Continuous of shut, and you follow each student
The Academy has self-marking activities on this form, with a dashboard for each student: you see at a glance who is falling behind.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
English contestThe English contest tests the Past Continuous of shut in real sentences
Instead of a single school exercise, your students meet this tense in context, in a contest that really motivates them.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Frequently asked questions
How do you conjugate shut in the Past Continuous?+
Use was or were (the past of be) + the -ing form shutting. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they: I was shutting, they were shutting.
When do you use the Past Continuous of shut?+
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 shut and I was shutting?+
I shut (Past Simple) is a finished action, seen as one complete event. I was shutting (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 shut in the Past Continuous?+
Negative: add not after was or were: I wasn't shutting, they weren't shutting. Question: put was or were before the subject: Were you shutting…?, Was she shutting…? Do not add did: Did you were shutting? is wrong.
Related pages: shut 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/shut/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.
Keep learning
More forms of the verb to shut are coming soon.