Past Continuous

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The past continuous (also known as the past progressive) tense is used to describe an action or situation that was ongoing at a particular point in the past. It’s formed by combining the past form of the verb “to be” (was/were) with the present participle of the main verb (the base form + -ing).

There are several common uses for the past continuous tense:

1. To describe an action that was happening at a specific moment in the past:

Example: At 6 pm yesterday, I was cooking dinner.

2. To describe two actions happening simultaneously in the past:

Example: While I was studying, my sister was watching TV.

3. To express an interrupted action in the past:

Example: I was reading a book when the phone rang.

4. To describe an action happening over a period of time in the past:

Example: Last summer, we were traveling through Europe.

5. To provide background information in a story or narrative:

Example: It was raining heavily, and the streets were deserted.

6. To express a past action that was happening when another past action occurred:

Example: The students were taking notes as the teacher was explaining the lesson.

Remember, the past continuous tense is used to emphasize the ongoing nature of an action in the past, often in relation to another past event or action.

Our past continuous English resources are free for everyone. The following worksheets and activities are online-friendly and flexible to meet all of your needs.

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