Past Continuous Tense

When we want to describe an action happening at a particular time in the past, we use the past continuous tense (= прошло трајно време):

• We were watching TV at six o'clock.

The past continuous form is also used for two longer actions happening at the same time:

• Mum was washing the dishes while dad was reading the newspapers.

Finally, when we want to say that an action, usually a longer one, was interrupted by a new, shorter action, we use the past continuous form for the longer action and the past simple form for the shorter one:

• I was having a bath when the phone rang.

To make the past continuous tense we need the past form of TO BE (was/were) and the present participle (main verb with the -ing ending).

I/He/She/It was reading.

We/You/They were swimming.

 

In negative sentences add NOT between the past form of TO BE and present participle (I was not singing), and in questions put TO BE in front of the subject (Were you singing?).

For more practice, click on the pictures below: