Past continuous tense

Past continuous tense

We use the past continuous to talk about the past:

for something which happened before and after another action:

Compare: The children did their homework when (= after) I got home.

This use of the past continuous is very common at the beginning of a story:

The other day I was waiting for a bus when …

Last week, as I was driving to work, … 

for something that happened before and after a specific time:

It was eight o'clock. I was writing a letter.

Compare: At eight o'clock I wrote (= started writing) some letters.

to show that something continued for some time:

My head was aching.

My head was aching.

for something that happened again and again:

I was practising every day, three times a day.

They were meeting secretly after school.

They were always quarrelling.

with verbs which show change or growth:

The children were growing up quickly.

Her English was improving.

My hair was going grey.

The town was changing quickly.

We do not normally use the past continuous with stative verbs. We use the past simple instead:

When I got home, I really needed (NOT was needing) a shower.

Multiple Choice

What ___ at eight o'clock last night?

• you were doing

• you doing

• were you doing

Multiple Choice

The police stopped Willis as ___ to the airport.

• was driving

• he was driving

• he is driving

Multiple Choice

When I got to work, I realised that I ___ my watch.

• were not wearing

• was not wearing

• weren't wearing

Multiple Choice

Where ___ when they had their first child?

• were Rob and Rebecca living

• Rob and Rebecca were living

• living Rob and Rebecca

Multiple Choice

Anyway, what ___ about? I can't remember.

• were I talking

• was I talking

• I were talking

Multiple Choice

By the time we got to the party, ___ home.

• everyone was going

• was everyone going

• was going everyone

Multiple Choice

One of our teachers told us that we ___ hard enough.

• not were working

• wasn't working

• were not working

Multiple Choice

Jules ___ in and out of love when he was a young man.

• was always falling

• was falling always

• always was falling