Past Continuous

WHEN TO USE?

Actions that were ongoing at a specific time in the past.

Actions that were interrupted by another action in the past.

Two or more simultaneous actions happening in the past.

​We use the Past Continuous Tense to talk about:

Affirmative

For all subjects, the verb takes -ing.

+was+ eating.

We
You + were+ eating.
They

I
He
She
It

For all subjects, the verb takes -ing.

+wasn’t+ eating.

We
You + weren’t+ eating.
They

I
He
She
It

Negative

Was + + eating?

we
Were+ you + eating?
they

I
he
she

it

For all subjects, the verb takes -ing.

Interrogative

For verbs ending in e, drop the "e" and add -ing.

make

take

write

making

taking

writing

For one-syllable verbs ending in a consonant + vowel + consonant,
double the final consonant and add -ing.

sit

run

plan

sitting

running

planning

ATTENTION!

For verbs ending in ie, change the "ie" to "y" and add -ing.

tie

die

lie

tying

dying

lying

For verbs ending in c, add "k" before adding -ing.

picnic

panic

mimic

picnicking

panicking

mimicking

while
when
at (specific time)
all day / morning / night
as

Example:I was reading a book when the phone rang.

Time expressions