English grammar for proficiency: The Past Continuous Tense.

The Past Continuous Tense is usually used to talk about events that were happening at a certain time in the past. It is not a matter of when the event in the past started and ended, but that it continued to happen in the mentioned time period.

• We started playing tennis at 3 o'clock. We stopped playing tennis at 5 o'clock.

• We were playing tennis at 4 o'clock.

Affirmative	I/He/She/It + was + Ving
	You/We/They + were + Ving
Negative	I/He/She/It + was + not + Ving
	You/We/They + were + not + Ving
Question	Was + I/He/She/It + Ving
	Were + You/We/They  + Ving

	Example	Short Form
+	I was working.	––
	They were working.	––
−	He was not working.	He wasn't working.
	We were not working.	We weren't working.
?+	Was she working?	––
	Were you working?	––
?-	Was he not working?	Wasn't he working?
	Were we not working?	Weren't we working?

	Time Expressions
	when, while, as, just as, all morning/night/afternoon (+ long), yesterday, yesterday morning/evening, this time yesterday, this time last year/month/week, yesterday at 7 o'clock, last night at 8 o'clock, at the time, at that time, from...to..., during

Usage

☞ It is used to talk about events that took place at a certain time in the past.

• It was raining yesterday morning.

• In 2015 they were living in Germany.

• They were talking on the phone all night.

• It was nine o'clock. I was doing my homework. 

• We were watching a movie at 9 o'clock last night.

• This time last year, I was working in a different company.

☞ The 'Past Continuous + Simple past' structure is used to say that something happened while another event in the past was ongoing.

• When I got up, the sun was rising.

• You were sleeping when I got home.

• My phone rang while I was having breakfast.

☞ The 'Past Continuous + Past Continuous' structure is used to indicate that two events were happening at the same time in the past.

• He was watching TV when I was reading a book.

• He was listening to music while he was working.

• We were walking in the park as the sun was setting.

☞ It is used to talk about events that continued for a while in the past.

• She was sleeping.

• He was looking for his keys.

• I was feeling tired, so I didn't go to the concert.

☞ It is used to talk about events that took place between two time periods in the past.

• He was studying from nine to eleven yesterday morning.

• The workers were building the bridge between April and September.

☞ It is used in storytelling.

• Once upon a time, a young woman named Rachel was walking through the forest...

• It was a beautiful summer evening. We were talking about our dreams as we were walking in the park...

☞ It is used to describe changing or developing events in the past.

• The city was changing quickly.

• My English was improving.

☞ It is used to describe repetitive actions or events in the past.

• They were always quarreling.

• She was doing yoga every day.

☞ Generally, stative verbs are not used in the past continuous tense.

✗ I was knowing him.
✓ I knew him.

✗ I was wanting to be a doctor.
✓ I wanted to be a doctor.