Past Continuous

The past continuous tense is formed from the past tense of the verb be and the -ing form of a verb.

I/You/We/They were (verb)ing
He/She/It was (verb)ing

The past continuous tense is also known as the past progressive tense. It is used in several different situations. It is used for:
 
• continuing or ongoing actions in the past
 
Example: They were enjoying the movie so much that they didn’t notice the time.
 
• something that was happening when another thing happened
 
Example: He was walking his dog when it started to rain.
 
• something that happened repeatedly in the past. These are often seen with adverbs of frequency.
 
Example: As a kid, I was always reading a book at the breakfast table.
 
• verbs that show change or growth
 
Example: The coffee shop was getting busier and busier.
 
• saying how long something took in the past
 
Example: I was studying for my English exam for hours.