Past Continuous
Past Continuous - Exercises and Quiz
These exercises focus on using Past Continuous for actions happening in the past.
When Do We Use the Past Continuous?
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For actions that were happening at a specific time in the past:
Example: At 8 PM last night, I was watching TV.
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For actions that were interrupted by another action:
Example: I was reading a book when the phone rang.
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For two or more actions happening at the same time in the past:
Example: While she was cooking, they were playing outside.
How to Form the Past Continuous
The Past Continuous is formed with:
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The past tense of to be (was/were) +
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The base verb + -ing.
Subject |
Past Form of "To Be" |
Base Verb + -ing |
Example Sentence |
I / He / She / It |
was |
watching |
I was watching TV. |
You / We / They |
were |
playing |
They were playing soccer. |
Spelling Rules for Verbs Ending in -ing
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For most verbs, just add -ing:
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read → reading
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For verbs ending in -e, drop the -e and add -ing:
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make → making
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For short verbs with a consonant + vowel + consonant, double the last consonant and add -ing:
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run → running
Negative Sentences in the Past Continuous
To make a negative sentence, add not after was or were.
Subject |
Positive Sentence |
Negative Sentence |
I |
I was playing soccer. |
I was not playing soccer. |
She |
She was reading a book. |
She wasn’t reading a book. |
We |
We were cooking dinner. |
We weren’t cooking dinner. |
Short Forms (Contractions):
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Was not = wasn’t
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Were not = weren’t
Examples:
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He wasn’t working yesterday.
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They weren’t studying for the test.
Questions in the Past Continuous
To ask a question in the past continuous, switch was/were and the subject.
Positive Sentence |
Question Form |
I was sleeping at 10 PM. |
Was I sleeping at 10 PM? |
They were playing soccer. |
Were they playing soccer? |
She was studying English. |
Was she studying English? |
Short Answers:
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Yes, I was / No, I wasn’t.
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Yes, they were / No, they weren’t.
When to Use the Past Continuous: Examples
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Action happening at a specific time in the past:
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At 6 PM, I was watching TV.
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Action interrupted by another action:
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I was reading when the phone rang.
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Two actions happening at the same time:
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She was cooking while I was studying.
Time Expressions Used with the Past Continuous
We often use the Past Continuous with these time expressions:
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At [specific time]: At 7 PM, I was eating dinner.
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While: While he was working, she was sleeping.
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When: I was driving when it started to rain.
Common Errors and How to Fix Them
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Forgetting "was/were":
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Incorrect: I playing soccer.
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Correct: I was playing soccer.
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Using the wrong form of "to be":
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Incorrect: They was eating.
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Correct: They were eating.
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Forgetting to add -ing to the main verb:
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Incorrect: She was cook dinner.
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Correct: She was cooking dinner.
Everyday Use of the Past Continuous
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I was studying at 8 PM last night.
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They were playing in the park when it started raining.
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We were watching a movie when the lights went out.
Practice Sentences
Present Continuous |
Past Continuous |
I am playing soccer. |
I was playing soccer. |
She is reading a book. |
She was reading a book. |
We are cooking dinner. |
We were cooking dinner. |
They are watching TV. |
They were watching TV. |
FAQ
When do I use the Past Continuous?
Use the Past Continuous to talk about actions that were happening at a specific time in the past or actions that were interrupted by something else. For example: "I was sleeping when the phone rang."
How do I form the Past Continuous?
Use was/were + the verb + -ing. Example: "She was talking."
How do I make a negative sentence?
Add not after was/were. Example: "He was not playing." (short form: "He wasn’t playing.")
How do I ask a question in the Past Continuous?
Switch the subject and was/were. Example: "Were you playing soccer?"