Study this example situation:
Yesterday Karen and Joe played tennis. They started at 10 o’clock and finished at 11.30.
So, at 10.30 they were playing tennis.
they were playing = they were in the middle of playing, they had not finished
was/were + -ing is the past continuous:
he/she/it was | playing doing working etc |
we/you/they were |
I was doing something = I was in the middle of doing it at a certain time.
The action or situation started before this time, but had not finished:
I started doing I was doing I finished Doing
↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ ↓ | ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
past past now
- This time last year I was living in Hong Kong
- What were you doing at 10 o’clock last night?
- I waved to Helen, but she wasn’t looking.
Compare I was doing (past continuous) and I did (past simple):
I was doing (= in the middle of an action)
|
I did (= complete action)
|
You can say that something happened (past simple) in the middle of something else (past continuous):
- Matt phoned while we were having dinner.
- It was raining when I got up.
- I saw you in the park yesterday. You were sitting on the grass and reading a book.
- I hurt my back while I was working in the garden.
But we use the past simple to say that one thing happened aft er another:
- I was walking along the road when I saw Dan. So I stopped, and we talked for a while
Compare:
|
|
Some verbs (for example, know and want) are not normally used in continuous forms (is + -ing,
was + -ing etc.).
See Unit 4A for a list of these verbs.
- We were good friends. We knew each other well. (not we were knowing)
- I was enjoying the party, but Chris wanted to go home. (not was wanting)
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
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B1-B2 Grammar : Past Continuous - I Was Doing
Choose the correct word.