Past Continuous Tense, Examples, Formula, Rules, Structure, Exercise

When discussing events that occurred at a certain point in the past or over a prolonged length of time, the past continuous form of tense is employed. It is constructed with the present participle of the main verb and the auxiliary verb “to be” in the past tense (was/were). Using the past continuous form of tense, we can explain activities or occurrences that were underway at a particular time in the past.

Past Continuous Tense (Progressive Tense)

The Past continuous form of tense, as the name suggests, is a form of tense used to express actions that were ongoing or taking place at some moment in past. It is also known as the past progressive tense because it represents an action going on in the past tense. Now let’s look at the definitions provided in various dictionaries for the past tense.

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Past Continuous Tense Definition

The definitions of the past continuous form of tense according to standard dictionaries are as follows:

The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as “the grammatical form used for an action that someone was doing or an event that was happening at a particular time.”

The Macmillan Dictionary describes it as “the tense used to talk about actions or behavior that were begun and ended at some time in the past.”

The Collins Dictionary defines it as “a verb form consisting of an auxiliary be in the past tense followed by a present participle and used to indicate that an action or event was incomplete or in progress at a point of reference in the past, as ‘were going’ in They were going to the market.”

Past Continuous Tense Formula

The formula for the present continuous form of tense is given below.

However, there are other things to be aware of. You should also learn how sentences are constructed using the past tense of verbs when the verbs are positive, negative, interrogative, and negative interrogative.

Past Continuous Tense Structure

Look at the table below to get a better understanding of the structure of the present tense.

Past Continuous Tense Uses Rule

Past Continuous form of Tense also called past progressive tense, is used to describe an action/event that took place at a particular time in the past.

1. Use to interrupt Action in the Past

Use the past continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. Interruptions are usually short actions in the past tense.

Note that this may be an actual mess or just a time mess.

For examples:

• I was watching television when she called me.
• She was completing her work when her mother came back.
• Children were playing in the park. it started raining.

2. Repetition of events with Always

For examples:

• Rohan was always coming to class late.
• He was constantly speaking. He annoyed everyone.
• I didn’t like my relatives because they were always complaining.

3. Use to define parallel Actions

For examples:

• I was learning while he was making dinner.
• While Annie was reading, Kim was watching television.
• Were you listening while they were talking?

Past Continuous Tense Rules

Rules to be used while writing in the past progressive tense.

1. Use the helping verb appropriately. With third person singular and ‘I’ ‘was’ will be used, with a plural noun or pronoun ‘were’ will be used.
2. Add ‘-ing’ in the main action verb.

Past Continuous Tense Examples Sentences

Here are some examples of Past Continuous form of Tense for the better understanding of students

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