B1daily

Past Continuous - Daily English

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Use the past continuous (also called the past progressive) to describe an action that was in progress at a particular moment in the past. You form it with was or were plus the -ing form of the verb: "I was preparing the report when the client called." It often sets the scene or background, while a second, shorter action in the past simple interrupts it: "We were discussing the budget when the network went down." It is also useful for two things happening at the same time ("While I was writing the minutes, Sara was chairing the meeting") and for polite, softened requests at work ("I was wondering whether you could send the figures today"). Use it with was for I, he, she and it, and were for you, we and they. A common pitfall is choosing the past continuous for a completed, single past action: say "I sent the email at nine," not "I was sending the email at nine," unless it was genuinely interrupted or ongoing. Also remember that stative verbs such as know, want, believe and understand are rarely used in the continuous, so write "I knew the deadline," not "I was knowing the deadline." Get these distinctions right and your past narration in emails, updates and interviews will sound natural and precise.

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  1. I (read) a book when the phone rang.
  2. They (play) football in the park at 5 PM yesterday.
  3. She (cook) dinner when the guests arrived.
  4. We (watch) a movie when the power went out.
  5. It (rain) heavily all morning yesterday.
  6. You (sleep) when I knocked on your door.
  7. He (drive) to work when he saw the accident.
  8. The children (study) for their exam all evening.
  9. My brother (listen) to music in his room.
  10. Sarah (wait) for the bus when it started to snow.
  11. The birds (sing) beautifully early this morning.
  12. We (eat) lunch when the delivery driver arrived.
  13. Tom (work) in the garden when it got dark.
  14. They (talk) about their holiday during dinner.
  15. I (walk) to the shop when I met my old friend.
  16. The sun (shine) when we left the house.
  17. You (wear) a blue jacket yesterday afternoon.
  18. My parents (travel) through Europe this time last year.
  19. The cat (sleep) on the sofa all afternoon.
  20. She (clean) the kitchen when she found her keys.
  21. We (plan) our trip when the news broke.
  22. He (fix) his bike in the garage.
  23. The students (listen) to the teacher during the lesson.
  24. I (prepare) for the meeting all morning.
  25. They (dance) at the party when the music stopped.

Common questions

What is the difference between the past continuous and the past simple?

The past continuous describes an action in progress; the past simple describes a completed action. They often combine: the longer background action takes the continuous and the shorter interrupting action takes the simple. For example, "I was presenting the proposal when my laptop froze." Use the past simple alone for a finished event: "I finished the slides at midnight."

How do I form the past continuous correctly?

Use was or were plus the -ing form of the main verb. Use was with I, he, she and it, and were with you, we and they: "She was leading the call"; "They were taking notes." For negatives add not (wasn't or weren't): "We weren't expecting feedback." For questions, invert the subject and was/were: "Were you waiting for my reply?"

Can I use the past continuous for a polite request at work?

Yes. "I was wondering if you could review this contract" sounds more tentative and considerate than "Can you review this contract?", which is why it is common in professional emails. The continuous makes the request feel less direct and gives the other person room to decline. Pair it with "if you could" or "whether you might" for a warm, businesslike tone.