Past Progressive

March 30, 2021

Past Progressive Tense

The past progressive tense is used to describe an ongoing activity in the past. For example:
John was baking a cake.
They were painting the fence.
Often, the past progressive tense is used to set the scene for another action. For example:
John was baking a cake when the storm started.
They were painting the fence while I was cutting the grass.
The past progressive tense is also known as the "past continuous tense" or the "past continuing tense".

Examples of the Past Progressive Tense and Its Uses

Here are three common uses of the past progressive tense:

(1) The past progressive tense can be used to describe an activity in the past that was interrupted:
He was painting the door when a bird struck the window.
They were sleeping when the alarm went off.
(2) The past progressive tense can be used for describing an action taking place when another occurred.
While they were painting the door, I painted the windows.
While they weren't painting the door, I painted the windows.
Were they painting the door when I painted the windows?
Weren't they painting the door when I painted the windows?
(3) The past progressive tense can be used for describing an action that was taking place at the same time as another:
While they were painting the door, I was painting the windows.

Forming the Past Progressive Tense

The past progressive tense is formed like this:

For singular:
[singular subject]
+
"was"
+
[present participle ("verb-ing")]

For plural:
[plural subject]
+
"were"
+
[present participle]

The Negative Version

If you need the negative version, you can use the following construction:
"was not" or "were not"
+
[present participle]
He was not painting the door when a bird struck the window.
They were not sleeping when the alarm went off.
Remember that "was not" and "were not" are sometimes written as the contractions "wasn't" and "weren't."
The Question Version

If you need to ask a question, you can use the following word order for a yes/no question:
"was" or "were"
+
[subject]
+
[present participle]
Was John painting the door when a bird struck the window?
Were they sleeping when the alarm went off?
You can use the following word order for a question-word question:
[question word]
+
"was" or "were"
+
[subject]
+
[present participle]
When was John painting the door?
Where were they sleeping when the alarm went off?
You can use the following word order for a choice question:
"was" or "were"
+
[subject]
+
[present participle]
+
choice A
+
or
+
choice B
Was John painting the door or the window?
"was" or "were"
+
[subject]
+
present participle A
+
or
+
present participle B
Were they sleeping or playing when the alarm went off?

Exercises – Past Progressive
Fill in the correct form of the verb in Past Progressive (Continuous) or Past Simple as in the examples.
Tom was wrapping the gift when I walked in the room. (wrap / walk)
Did he comfort her while she was crying? (comfort / cry)
What were you doing when the accident occurred? (do / occur)
What _the manager at 7:00 pm yesterday? (do)
Tina and Shelly __ to the hotel when it _ to rain. (walk/start)
When Donny _ the room, everyone ______. (enter/talk)
I _ in the sales department when I first _ Sofie. (work/meet)
My brother the computer while I for my trip. (use/pack)
you attention when the teacher your name? (pay/call)
We TV when the lighting . (watch/ strike)
She _ about me behind my back, wasn’t she? (whisper)
the client really out while Troy the proposal? (walk / present)
This morning, while I breakfast, someone ___ on the door. (eat /knock)
Answers:
was/doing
were walking/started
entered/was talking
was working/met
was using/was packing
Were/paying/called
were watching/struck
was whispering
Did/walk/was presenting
was eating/knocked