Past Continuous

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.

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, … 

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.

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.

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