Past continuous
Use the past continuous for activities in progress around a particular moment in the past.
Learning goal: Past continuous
Form was or were plus verb-ing and describe background actions in past situations.
In a nutshell
Use the past continuous for activities in progress around a particular moment in the past.
When do we use it?
Form was or were plus verb-ing and describe background actions in past situations.
Pattern
Form
Use was/were + verb-ing for an action that was in progress at a past time.
- I was reading at eight.
- They were sleeping.
- Was she working?
- We were not listening.
Examples
Key contrast
Read the whole context and identify the time, meaning, noun type or sentence structure before choosing.
Watch out
Common mistakes
They was waiting.→ They were waiting.I was read.→ I was reading.
Key takeaway
Remember
Use the past continuous for activities in progress around a particular moment in the past.
Self-check
Quick check
- Find the grammar clue.
- Check the subject and verb form.
- Confirm that the answer fits both structure and meaning.
Put it into practice
Ready to test Past continuous?
A short interactive practice session with instant feedback — about 10 questions calibrated to C1 Advanced.
Start practice