The Past Continuous tense, also known as the past progressive tense, is used to describe actions or events that were happening at a specific time in the past. It is formed using the auxiliary verb be (in the past tense) followed by the present participle of the main verb (which is typically formed by adding -ing to the base form of the verb).
I was eating breakfast when the phone rang. (The speaker was in the process of eating breakfast at a specific time in the past when the phone rang.)
She was writing a letter when I saw her. (The speaker was in the process of writing a letter at a specific time in the past when the speaker saw her.)
Here are some more examples of sentences in the past continuous tense:
They were having a party when we arrived.
We were watching a movie when the power went out.
He was studying for his exams when I called him.
I was waiting for the bus when it started raining.
Formation of Past Continuous
#1. The Past Continuous is formed by means of the Past Indefinite of the auxiliary verb to be and Participle I of the notional verb.
#2. In the interrogative form the auxiliary verb is placed before the subject. And in the negative form the negative particle not is placed after the auxiliary verb.
| Affirmative | Interrogative | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| I was reading He was reading She was reading We were reading You were reading They were reading |
Was I reading? Was he reading? Was she reading? Were we reading? Were you reading? Were they reading? |
I was not reading He was not reading She was not reading We were not reading You were not reading They were not reading |
#3. The contracted negative forms are:
He wasn’t reading
They weren’t reading
#4. The negative-interrogative forms are:
Was he not reading? = Wasn’t he reading?
Were they not reading? = Weren’t they reading?
Use of Past Continuous
The past continuous tense is often used to describe ongoing actions or events that were happening at a specific time in the past. It can also be used to describe temporary actions or events that were in progress at a specific time in the past.
#1. The Past Continuous is used to denote an action which was going on at a definite moment in the past.
It was twelve and he was still sitting, when the presence of Cowperwood was announced. (Dreiser)
The definite moment is indicated either by another past action expressed by a verb in the Past Indefinite or by an adverbial phrase.
When I returned, she was sweeping the floor. (Bennett)
At midnight he was still working, though he was feeling ill and was longing to go to bed.
The definite moment is often not expressed but understood from the situation.
He did not notice what was going on around him — he was reading.
The Past Continuous is used to denote a certain state or quality peculiar to the person at a given moment in the past.
He knew he was being scientific and restrained. (Cronin)
#2. The Past Continuous or the Past Indefinite is often used after such phrases as the whole day, all day long.
They were working in the garden all day long. They worked in the garden all day long.
#3. The Past Continuous is used to denote an action thought of as a continual In this case the adverbs always, ever, constantly are used. The Past Continuous in this use is often to be found in an emotional speech.
She was constantly complaining of being lonely. (Shaw)
He was never able to look after his flowers at all, for his friend, the Miller, was always coming round and sending him off on long errands or getting him to help on the mill. (Wilde)