Simple Past Continuous tense

Basic form

Subject + WAS/WERE + Verb (continuous form)

Quick examples

• The boys had been quarreling for half an hour when we arrived home.
• I had been dating Angelina for 3 years before we got married.
• If it hadn't been raining, we would have gone to the park.
• She told me that she had been working as a teacher for over 40 years.

We usually use the Past Continuous to talk about activities that lasted for some time in the past. The actions can be interruped by something or can be happening at the same time.

Use

1. Duration in the past
2. Interrupted actions in progress
3. Actions in progress at the same time in the past
4. Irritation
5. Polite question

USE 1: Duration in the past

We use the Past Continuous to talk about actions or situations that lasted for some time in the past, and whose duration time is unknown or unimportant.

• I was watching TV yesterday in the evening.
• She was sleeping on the couch.
• The dog was barking.

USE 2: Interrupted actions in progress

The Past Continuous is often used when one action in progress is interruped by another action in the past. We usually use when or while to link these two sentences.

1. Sentence in Past Continuous	+	WHEN	+	Sentence in Past Simple
   e.g. I was singing				e.g. my wife came home

2. WHEN/WHILE	+	Sentence in Past Continuous	+	Sentence in Past Simple
   		e.g. I was singing		e.g. my wife came home

• I was talking with James when the telephone rang.
• While Angelica was playing tennis, the plane crashed .
• When Bob was painting windows, it started raining.