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