In a nutshell, the past continuous tense is about actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past. Keep reading to go deeper into this super useful tense.

Spoiler alert: By the end of this article, you’ll want to use it everywhere!

What is the past continuous tense?

First things first: What is this mysterious past continuous tense we’re talking about? Well, it’s not the simple past, but it’s actually pretty simple. Basically, the past continuous tense is used for actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past. So, if you were doing something, and then something else happened, the past continuous is your tense.

Think of it as the background music in the fascinating movie of your life: the action that was happening, when something else happened. For example, “I was reading a book when the phone rang.” (fascinating, we said). The book reading didn’t just start and end instantly; it was in progress when the interruption occurred. Maybe it was a very intriguing phone call? What was it about? You can tell the story using all the past tenses: past simple, past perfect and past continuous.

How to form the past continuous tense

Forming the past continuous is a piece of delicious cake!

The structure is: Subject + was/were + verb + ing

That’s it! Whether you’re talking about yourself, your bunny, or your sister, this structure is your key to mastering the past continuous.

Forms of the past continuous tense

Affirmative form of the past continuous tense

In the affirmative form — which is very straightforward — you’re simply stating that something was happening at a certain time.

The structure is: Subject + was/were + present participle (verb+ing)

Example: My bunny was eating my computer cable when I found her.

If this isn’t clear, keep reading for concrete examples!

Past continuous tense examples in its affirmative form

  • I was watching TV when you called.
  • She was cooking dinner when the power went out.
  • They were running in the park when it started raining.
  • We were laughing at the joke when the teacher walked in.
  • You were listening to music when I arrived.
  • I was singing like crazy when the neighbor knocked at the door.
  • The kids were playing outside when the storm hit.
  • My rabbit was sleeping on the couch while I was working.
  • The team was celebrating their victory when the fire alarm went off.
  • We were eating pizza when we got the news.

 

Negative form of the past continuous tense

Having a positive attitude is great, but sometimes, you need the negative form! So, if you want to negate that action, no worries. It’s just a tweak:

The structure is: Subject + was/were not (wasn’t/weren’t) + present participle

Example: My bunny acted like she wasn’t doing anything wrong when I found her chewing on the cables.

Past continuous tense examples in its negative form

  • I wasn’t sleeping when you called.
  • She wasn’t paying attention during the meeting.
  • We weren’t driving to the store; we were walking.
  • They weren’t playing outside when it started raining.
  • You weren’t studying when the fire alarm went off.
  • He wasn’t watching the movie with us.
  • I wasn’t texting while driving, I swear!
  • The children weren’t playing soccer when it got dark.
  • My dog wasn’t barking when the doorbell rang.
  • We weren’t eating when the guests arrived.

 

Interrogative form of the past continuous tense

If you have a curious mind like mine, this form will come in handy! But remember: curious doesn’t mean nosy! So, let’s turn it into a question.

The structure is: Was/Were + subject + present participle?

Example: Was my bunny eating the cables today?

Past continuous tense examples in its interrogative form

  • Were you working late last night?
  • Was she studying when you called?
  • Were they playing basketball after school?
  • Was he driving when it started snowing?
  • Were we dancing at the party?
  • Was your sister cooking dinner when you got home?
  • Were they laughing at the joke?
  • Was I singing too loudly?
  • Were we waiting in line for the concert tickets?
  • Was she reading when the lights went out?

 

Negative interrogative form of the past continuous tense

Now, let’s spice things up: we’ll mix and match! For negative interrogation, you’ve got two options:

Structure 1: Was/Were + subject + not + present participle?

Exammple 1: Was your bunny not eating hay instead of cables?

Structure 2: Wasn’t/Weren’t + subject + present participle?

Example 2: Wasn’t your bunny eating hay instead of cables?

Past continuous tense examples in its interrogative form

  • Was I not listening when you gave the instructions?
  • Weren’t they playing outside when it started to rain?
  • Wasn’t he driving too fast?
  • Were you not studying for your exam last night?
  • Wasn’t she cooking dinner when I called?
  • Weren’t we dancing when the music stopped?
  • Was your dog not barking when the delivery arrived?
  • Weren’t we celebrating our victory?
  • Wasn’t I singing during the car ride?
  • Were they not playing cards when the lights went out?

When to use the past continuous tense

Now that you know how to form it — or at least, we hope so — let’s chat about when to use the past continuous. It’s not just pretty — it’s useful too!

Keep reading for specific examples according to each situation.

Describing an action that was happening at a specific moment in the past.

  • At 8 PM last night, I was watching Netflix.
  • She was reading a book when I walked in.
  • They were running when it started raining.
  • He was playing video games all afternoon.
  • We were eating dinner when the doorbell rang.
  • The dog was barking while I was on the phone.
  • At this time yesterday, I was studying for my test.
  • The kids were swimming when the pool closed.
  • I was sleeping when you texted me.
  • We were working when the power went out.

Talking about two simultaneous past actions.

  • I was cooking while she was cleaning.
  • They were arguing while we were watching TV.
  • The kids were playing while we were chatting.
  • I was studying while he was playing video games.
  • She was texting while walking down the street.
  • They were laughing while the movie was playing.
  • We were working while they were having fun.
  • I was reading while he was writing.
  • She was singing while cooking dinner.
  • We were dancing while the band was playing.

Setting the scene in a story.

  • The sun was setting as we arrived.
  • The birds were chirping while the wind was blowing softly.
  • People were laughing and music was playing in the background.
  • It was raining when we entered the café.
  • The city was buzzing with life as we walked down the street.
  • The waves were crashing against the shore.
  • The sky was turning pink as the day ended.
  • Lights were flickering as we entered the room.
  • Cars were honking while we tried to cross the street.
  • The wind was howling outside as the storm began.

Describing interruptions in the past.

  • I was reading a book when the phone rang.
  • She was cooking dinner when the power went out.
  • We were watching a movie when the fire alarm went off.
  • He was driving to work when his car broke down.
  • They were playing soccer when it suddenly started raining.
  • I was texting my friend when my battery died.
  • My bunny was chewing on the cables when I walked in.
  • The kids were building a sandcastle when the tide came in.
  • I was taking a shower when someone knocked on the door.
  • We were dancing at the party when the music stopped.

Common expressions with the past continuous tense

Expression Example sentence Explanation
At this time yesterday At this time yesterday, I was studying for my exam. Describes an action that was happening at the same time the day before.
While While I was cooking dinner, he was watching TV. Describes two simultaneous actions occurring in the past.
All day long I was waiting for the package all day long. Expresses an action that took place over a prolonged period in the past.
Throughout the night The baby was crying throughout the night. Indicates an ongoing action during a specific timeframe in the past (the night).
All morning She was cleaning the house all morning. Shows that an action was continuously happening during the morning.
At that moment At that moment, they were leaving the building. Refers to a specific moment in the past when something was happening.
From 5 PM to 6 PM From 5 PM to 6 PM, I was talking to my boss. Describes an ongoing action happening for an extended duration in the past.
As As I was driving home, it was raining heavily. Used to describe two actions occurring simultaneously in the past.
The whole time The whole time, she was thinking about her next move. Refers to an action happening continuously during a specific time period.

Common past continuous mistakes to avoid

To all language learners out there, we’ve all been there — enthusiastically throwing around tenses like we’re grammar experts, only to realize later that was absolutely wrong.

Let’s see how to avoid that in the future — wait, weren’t we talking about the past?

Mixing it up with the past simple tense

We’ve all seen or heard sentences like “I was ran to the store.” Ouch! The past continuous needs that little “-ing” verb action. So instead of “I was ran,” it should be “I was running.” Past continuous is for things that were happening, not things that happened.

How to avoid it: Think about whether the action you’re describing was still going on at a specific time. If yes, use the past continuous. If no, opt for past simple.

Forgetting to pair it with another past action.

The past continuous is usually paired with a past simple action to show that something interrupted the flow. For example, “I was watching TV when the phone rang.” The phone ringing interrupts your epic binge session — how dare they? If you forget that second part, you lose the whole drama of the story!

How to avoid it: Ask yourself, “What interrupted my action?” If there’s a second event, you’ll probably need a past continuous + past simple pair.

Over-using the past continuous

We get it. Once you’ve got a handle on the past continuous — bravo! — it’s tempting to use it all the time. But not every past action needs to be stretched out like that. Sometimes, a good old past simple is all you need.

How to avoid it: Remember, the past continuous is for stressing that an action was in progress. If you don’t need to emphasize, just go with the past simple.

Past continuous exercises

Enough theory! Are you ready to flex those grammar muscles? Try the exercises below! They’ll help you practice the different forms (affirmative, negative, interrogative, and negative interrogative). You’ll find the answers by clicking the accordian. Don’t cheat! Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the past continuous tense:

At 9 PM last night, I was watching my favorite show.

They were playing basketball when it started to rain.

She was not (wasn’t) listening to music while she was studying.

Were you working (you/work) on that project when I called?

We were eating (eat) pizza when the lights went out.

Rewrite the following sentences in the past continuous tense

He was cooking dinner when the guests arrived.

I was reading a book when I heard a loud bang outside.

We were playing soccer when it started snowing.

She was walking the dog when the storm hit.

They were studying in the library when the fire alarm went off.

Create sentences using these prompts

At 8 o’clock last night, I was watching the latest episode of my favorite show.

While I was driving to work, it was raining so heavily I could barely see the road.

When the phone rang, I was just about to fall asleep—talk about bad timing!

She wasn’t paying attention because she was texting during the meeting.

I was doing my homework when my dog jumped onto the table and spilled my coffee all over my notes!

Tips for mastering the past continuous

Ok, all of this is awesome, but how do you go from “I kind of understand it” to “I was totally mastering the past continuous before I even had breakfast”? Well, we can’t learn it for you, but below are a few of our teste and proven tips!

Storytelling is fun

One of the coolest things about the past continuous is its use in stories. Think about the last time you were telling a friend — or your bunny, no judging — about your day. Did you say something like, “I was walking on the street when a pigeon fell from the sky right at my feet” — true story? That's the past continuous in action! Practice by telling stories about your day or narrating a book or movie, focusing on using the past continuous when describing actions that were ongoing.

Pay attention to the context

Remember, the past continuous is about what was taking place at a specific time or what got interrupted. So, when you’re talking about past events, think about what actions were in progress and which actions happened and interrupted them.

Use it in conversations

Sure, it might not sound natural at the beginning. But the more you use the past continuous in casual conversations, the better. For example, next time an English speaking friend asks, “What were you doing Saturday night?” give them the full story: “Oh, I was watching TV when my friend called and invited me to this crazy party!” You know, practice makes perfect — and we kind of want to know about that wild party, actually!

Listen to native speakers

If you enjoy English-language podcasts, TV shows, movies or YouTube videos, keep an ear out for when native speakers use the past continuous. You’ll start to notice how often it’s used in casual conversations. Even better, if you know English speakers, practice with them! And if you don’t, you’ll find grammar buddies online — try social media groups and language forums.

Keep a journal

Writing is a fantastic way to remember things — and it’s also therapeutic! Try journaling about your day, and make a point to use the past continuous whenever it’s appropriate. “This morning, I was writing an article for the Berlitz blog when my bunny decided to eat the cable of my laptop.”

Mix it up with other tenses

One of the biggest challenges with the past continuous is knowing when to use it in combination with other tenses. So, practice switching between tenses! Start with a simple sentence… in the past simple, then throw in a past continuous sentence to describe what else was happening at the same time. “I was working on my article when my bunny chewed on the cable.”

As you probably know by now — and if you don’t, read again — the past continuous tense is your key to describing ongoing actions and lovely interruptions, like when you were trying to write an article about the past continuous, and suddenly your bunny ate the cables.

With these examples, tips, and exercises, you’re ready to explain the most amazing stories! And if you want to take your storytelling to the next level, make sure to check out our other articles on the past perfect and past simple. Happy learning!