Past Continuous (I was doing)
Actions in progress at a past time, interrupted actions, and parallel actions
How to Form It
The past continuous uses was/were + -ing.
| Subject | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I / he / she / it | was + -ing | She was working on the report. |
| we / you / they | were + -ing | They were reviewing the budget. |
Negative: was not (wasn’t) / were not (weren’t) + -ing.
I wasn’t listening during the call.
What It Means
I was doing something = I was in the middle of doing it at a certain time. The action started before that time but had not finished.
This time last year I was living in Hong Kong. What were you doing at 10 o’clock last night? I waved to Helen, but she wasn’t looking.
Think of it as a snapshot: at that moment, the action was already happening and was not yet done.
Past Continuous vs. Past Simple
The past continuous describes an action in the middle of happening. The past simple describes a complete action.
| Past Continuous (in the middle) | Past Simple (complete) |
|---|---|
| We were walking home when I met Dan. | We walked home after the party last night. |
| Kate was watching TV when we arrived. | Kate watched TV a lot when she was ill last year. |
At the office, this difference matters:
The team was preparing the presentation when the client called. (preparation already in progress) The team prepared the presentation and sent it by noon. (finished action)
Interrupted Actions
A past simple event can happen in the middle of a past continuous action. Use when or while to connect them.
Matt phoned while we were having dinner. It was raining when I got up. I hurt my back while I was working in the garden.
In a workplace context:
The server crashed while the IT team was running updates. The manager walked in when we were discussing the deadline.
When one thing happens after another, use the past simple for both:
I was walking along the road when I saw Dan. So I stopped, and we talked for a while.
Watch the Timing
The order of events changes the meaning:
| Sentence | What happened |
|---|---|
| When Karen arrived, we were having dinner. | We started dinner before Karen arrived. |
| When Karen arrived, we had dinner. | Karen arrived first, then we had dinner. |
This is the same in a meeting scenario:
When the director arrived, we were reviewing the sales figures. (review started earlier) When the director arrived, we reviewed the sales figures. (the review started after the director sat down)
Verbs That Don’t Use the Continuous
Some verbs are not normally used in continuous forms. These include know, want, like, believe, understand, need, belong, and prefer.
We were good friends. We knew each other well. (not were knowing) I was enjoying the party, but Chris wanted to go home. (not was wanting)
At work:
I understood the instructions, but I was still reading the manual. (understand = state, read = action)
Quick Self-Check
I called the office at 3 PM, but nobody answered. Everyone _____ in the conference room.
Select your answer:
The printer broke down while Sarah _____ the quarterly report.
Select your answer:
When the fire alarm went off, the staff _____ lunch in the break room.
Select your answer:
We _____ each other well — we had worked together for five years.
Select your answer:
I _____ along the corridor when I heard someone call my name, so I stopped.
Select your answer: