The verb to smell · Conjugation
Past Continuous of smell
The answer: was / were smelling
B1
An action in progress in the past, often interrupted.
Quick answer
The Past Continuous of the verb to smell is was / were smelling.
Example: I was smelling the flowers when the phone rang.
Full conjugation in the Past Continuous
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | was smelling |
| You | were smelling |
| He / She / It | was smelling |
| We | were smelling |
| You (pl.) | were smelling |
| They | were smelling |
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 smelling, my friends were smelling. You always takes were, even when you talk to one person.
2. They were smell ❌
The Past Continuous needs both parts: was or were + the -ing form. They were smell forgets the -ing. They smelling forgets were. The correct form is they were smelling.
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 smell 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 smell on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachersYour whole class practises the Past Continuous of smell, 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 smell 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 smell in the Past Continuous?+
Use was or were (the past of be) + the -ing form smelling. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they: I was smelling, they were smelling.
When do you use the Past Continuous of smell?+
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 smelled and I was smelling?+
I smelled (Past Simple) is a finished action, seen as one complete event. I was smelling (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 smell in the Past Continuous?+
Negative: add not after was or were: I wasn't smelling, they weren't smelling. Question: put was or were before the subject: Were you smelling…?, Was she smelling…? Do not add did: Did you were smelling? is wrong.
Related pages: smell 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/smell/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 smell are coming soon.