Past continuous · Year 4
The past continuous is was or were + the -ing form: I was reading. It describes an action in progress at a time in the past, often a background action that is interrupted by a short action in the past simple: I was reading when the phone rang.
Key facts
- I, he, she, it + was; you, we, they + were: She was cooking. They were playing.
- In progress at a time: At eight o'clock I was having dinner.
- Background + interruption: We were walking home when it started to rain. The long action: past continuous; the short one: past simple.
- while often comes before the longer action: While I was waiting, I read a book.
- Negative: wasn't / weren't + -ing. Question: Was she sleeping? Were you listening?