Past Continuous
Like the present continuous, the past continuous is formed using “to be” with “verb +ing”. However, as this is a past tense, “to be” is changed into the past (“was” or “were”) while the present participle (“verb +ing”) remains.
| Positive | Negative | Question |
| I was cleaning. | I was not cleaning. | Was I cleaning? |
| You were cleaning. | You were not cleaning. | Were you cleaning? |
| We were cleaning. | We were not cleaning. | Were we cleaning? |
| They were cleaning. | They were not cleaning. | Were they cleaning? |
| He was cleaning. | He was not cleaning. | Was he cleaning? |
| She was cleaning. | She was not cleaning. | Was she cleaning? |
| It was cleaning. | It was not cleaning. | Was it cleaning? |
There are three uses that all suggest an act that was ongoing for a period of time.
- Describing a past action during a particular period of time (that may have continued after that period of time).
- We were walking our dogs last
- I was brushing my teeth at ten o’clock.
- It describes a longer action that is interrupted by a shorter
- I was washing the dishes when I cut my
- She was driving to work when the accident
- An action interrupted by another
- They were listening to music when the doorbell
- It was sleeping when the fireworks