Past Continuous
The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were happening at a specific moment in the past. It emphasizes the duration or process of an action that was ongoing at a particular time.
1. When Do We Use Past Continuous?
We use past continuous to:
- Describe actions that were in progress at a particular moment in the past.
- I was reading when you called me.
- I was reading when you called me.
- Show that two actions were happening at the same time in the past.
- While I was cooking, my brother was doing his homework.
- While I was cooking, my brother was doing his homework.
- Express a temporary situation in the past.
- They were staying at a hotel during their vacation.
- They were staying at a hotel during their vacation.
- Describe an action that was interrupted by another event in the past.
- She was watching TV when the power went out.
2. Forming the Past Continous
Structure: Subject + was/were + [verb + -ing]
- “Was” is used with singular subjects (I, he, she, it).
- “Were” is used with plural subjects (you, we, they).
- The main verb is always in its ing form.
Examples of Past Continuous Formation:
- I was studying at 9 PM last night.
- They were playing football when it started raining.
3. Examples
- I was reading a book when the phone rang.
- They were working on the project all day.
- She was traveling to Paris last summer.
- We were having dinner when they arrived.
- He was walking to the park when he saw the accident.