The Past Continuous Tense (also called the Past Progressive) is used to describe an action that was ongoing (in progress) at a specific time or around another event in the past.
The general structure is: Subject + was/were + verb + -ing (present participle).
🅰️ A1 - A2 (Beginner to Elementary)
At this level, you focus on the basic form and core meaning.
Form (Structure)
| Subject | Auxiliary Verb (Past of to be) | Main Verb | Example |
| I / He / She / It | was | working, playing, studying | She was reading. |
| You / We / They | were | working, playing, studying | They were talking. |
Negative: Add not. (e.g., I was not sleeping. or I wasn't sleeping.)
Question: Invert the subject and auxiliary verb. (e.g., Were you listening?)
Core Use
Action in progress at a specific past time:
I was eating dinner at 7 PM last night. (The action started before 7 PM and finished after.)
Background action for a story:
The sun was shining and the birds were singing.
🅱️ B1 - B2 (Intermediate to Upper-Intermediate)
At these levels, you expand the uses and learn to combine the tense with the Past Simple.
Key Uses
Interrupted action in the past: A longer, ongoing action (Past Continuous) is interrupted by a shorter action (Past Simple). We often use when or while.
I was walking to work when it started raining. (Walking was the longer action, raining was the interruption.)
Two simultaneous actions (Parallel Actions): Two actions happening at the same time in the past. We usually use while or as.
He was cooking while I was setting the table.
Temporary past situations: Describing a situation that was true for a limited time in the past.
Last year, I was living in a small apartment.
Key Distinction: Past Continuous vs. Past Simple
Past Simple describes a completed action or a series of actions.
I read a book. (Finished)
Past Continuous describes an ongoing action that was interrupted or continued over a period.
I was reading a book when the phone rang. (Ongoing)
🆑 C1 - C2 (Advanced to Proficiency)
At advanced levels, you focus on nuance, collocations, and exceptions.
Advanced Uses
Expressing irritation or complaint (with 'always,' 'constantly,' 'continually'): Used to describe an annoying, frequent past action (similar to used to but with a negative emotion).
She was always losing her keys! (Implies irritation or frustration.)
Polite Inquiry/Suggestion: Using the past continuous to make a request or suggestion sound less direct, and therefore more polite, even when referring to the present or future.
I was thinking we could see a movie tonight. (Less demanding than "Let's see a movie.")
I was hoping you could help me with this. (More polite than "I hope you can help me.")
Narrative Description (Setting the scene): Extensive use at the beginning of a story to create a descriptive background atmosphere before the main events (Past Simple) begin.
The wind was howling, and the rain was pouring down. The children were sleeping peacefully when suddenly the door burst open.
Advanced Grammar: Stative Verbs
The Past Continuous is not usually used with stative verbs (verbs that describe a state, not an action, like know, want, like, believe, understand, seem).
Incorrect: I was wanting a new car.
Correct: I wanted a new car. (Use Past Simple instead.)
Exception: Some stative verbs can be used in the continuous form when they describe a temporary action or behavior (dynamic meaning).
He was being very rude today. (Here, 'be' means 'behaving'—a temporary action.)
I was having a great time at the party. (Here, 'have' means 'experience,' not 'possess.')
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