Past Continuous

Complete List of Past Continuous Forms

Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time

Example :

• I was watching TV when she called
• While I was writing the email, the computer suddenly went off
• Sugi was waiting for us when we got off the plane
• While Tono was sleeping last night, some one stole his bus
• You were not listening to me when I told you to turn the oven off
• I was listening to my iPod, so I didn't hear the alarm
• What were you doing when the earthquake started?
• While we were having the picnic, it started to rain
• When the phone rang, she was writing a letter
• A : What were you doing when you broke your leg?

I was snowboarding

[was/were + present participle]

Use 2 Specific time as an Interruption

In use 1, describe above, the past continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the simple past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption

Example :

• Last night at 7 PM, I was eating dinner
• Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work
• At midnight, we were still driving through the desert

Important

In the simple past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the Past Continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action

Example:

• Last night at 6 PM. I ate dinner. I started eating at 6 Pm
• Last night at 6 PM. I was eating dinner. I started earlier and at 6 PM, I was in the process of eating dinner