Past continuous tense
The past continuous tense (also called past progressive) describes actions that were in progress at a specific moment in the past. It is formed with was/were plus the verb's -ing form, for example "I was studying" or "They were talking". It shows an unfinished action happening around a particular past time, often interrupted by another event.
Types of past continuous tense
Single ongoing action
Describes one action in progress at a stated past time.
e.g. At 8pm I was cooking dinner., She was sleeping when the alarm rang.
Interrupted action
A longer action in progress is interrupted by a shorter, completed action (usually in past simple).
e.g. I was reading when the phone rang., We were driving home when it started to rain.
Parallel actions
Two or more actions happening at the same time in the past, often joined with 'while' or 'as'.
e.g. She was cooking while he was setting the table., I was studying as my brother was watching TV.
Background description
Sets the scene or gives background context for a story, often used in narratives.
e.g. The sun was shining and birds were singing., People were walking along the beach that morning.
Repeated or annoying habits
Describes a repeated past action, often with 'always', usually expressing irritation.
e.g. He was always losing his keys., She was constantly complaining about the weather.
Rules to remember
- Form: subject + was/were + verb-ing (I/he/she/it + was; you/we/they + were).
- Use 'while' with the past continuous for a longer background action, and past simple for the shorter interrupting action.
- Negatives are formed with was not (wasn't) or were not (weren't) + verb-ing.
- Questions are formed by inverting the subject and was/were: 'Was she working?', 'Were they leaving?'
- Stative verbs (know, believe, want, love, own) are not normally used in continuous forms, even in the past.
Examples in sentences
| Example | How it works |
|---|---|
| I was watching television when the lights went out. | Past continuous shows the ongoing action interrupted by a past simple event. |
| At this time last year, I was living in Spain. | Describes an ongoing situation at a specific past time. |
| While she was writing the report, her colleague was preparing the slides. | Two parallel actions happening at the same time in the past. |
| They weren't listening during the meeting. | Negative form using weren't plus verb-ing. |
| Were you working late last night? | Question form with inversion of subject and were. |
| He was always forgetting his umbrella. | Repeated action expressing mild frustration, used with 'always'. |
| It was raining heavily when we arrived at the airport. | Sets a background scene interrupted by a completed action. |
Common mistakes
Incorrect: I was knowing the answer already.
Correct: I knew the answer already.
Incorrect: While I was study, my phone rang.
Correct: While I was studying, my phone rang.
Incorrect: She were walking to work yesterday.
Correct: She was walking to work yesterday.
Why this matters for IELTS
Using the past continuous accurately alongside past simple lets you describe interrupted actions, background scenes and parallel events with more sophistication, which examiners reward under Grammatical Range and Accuracy. In Speaking Part 2 stories or Writing Task 2 examples, combining "while I was doing X, Y happened" shows control of tense mixing rather than relying only on simple past, helping you reach band 7 or higher.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past continuous tense used for?
It is used for actions in progress at a specific past moment, actions interrupted by another event, parallel past actions, and background description in narratives.
What is the difference between past simple and past continuous?
Past simple describes a completed action, while past continuous describes an action that was ongoing or unfinished at a particular past time, often providing context for a past simple event.
Can stative verbs be used in the past continuous?
Generally no. Verbs like know, want, believe and own describe states, not actions, so they normally appear in past simple, for example 'I knew' rather than 'I was knowing'.
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