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English grammar lessons › Level A2 › Verbs

What were you doing? The past continuous

Actions in progress at a moment in the past, and an action that interrupts them

What you'll be able to do

Describe what was happening at a moment in the past (when you got a call, when something happened) and set the scene for a short story.

The idea

The past continuous (was / were + -ing) describes an action in progress at a time in the past. It often combines with the past simple: the long action in the continuous, the short one that interrupts it in the simple.

  • At eight o'clock I was having breakfast.in progress at that moment
  • They were watching TV when the lights went out.a long action, then an interruption
  • What were you doing at midnight?a question about a moment
  • It wasn't raining when we left.negative
Form
I / he / she / itwas + -ing
you / we / theywere + -ing

while and when

  • while + the long action: While I was cooking, the phone rang.
  • when + the short action: I was cooking when the phone rang.

Common mistakes

  • I was cook when you called. → I was cooking.
  • They was waiting outside. They takes were: They were waiting.
  • When I was walking home, I was seeing an accident. The short event is in the past simple: I saw an accident.

Practice

  1. At 7 pm yesterday I _____ dinner.
    Options: was cooking · cooked at · am cooking
    Show the answer

    was cooking — An action in progress at a moment in the past.

  2. We _____ football when it started to rain.
    Options: were playing · was playing · are playing
    Show the answer

    were playing — We takes were; the long action is in the past continuous.

  3. _____ I was waiting for the bus, I met my old teacher.
    Options: While · During · Then
    Show the answer

    While — While + the long action.

  4. What _____ (you / do) when I called?
    Show the answer

    were you doing — A question about an action in progress: were you doing.

  5. She _____ (sleep) when the alarm went off.
    Show the answer

    was sleeping — She + was + -ing.

In the app, this lesson is taught one idea at a time with the examples read aloud, then practised with questions you answer by choosing or typing. It comes back for review on later days, until you can use it without help.
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More on this topic: Talking about the past: English past tenses