What were you doing (either school or work-related) before you started your current English class?

During class, Daniel was looking at his phone. The teacher was explaining the grammar point, but she was also noticing that Daniel was not paying attention. In that moment, she was thinking, “He’s probably scrolling through social media again.”

While the teacher was talking, Daniel was typing quickly. His face was turning pale, and his hands were shaking. The other students were listening to the lesson, but Daniel was living in another moment completely.

Finally, the teacher stopped and waited for him to look up. The room grew quiet. Daniel started sliding the phone back into his pocket when she asked him to stay after class.

Daniel stood by the door while the students exited the class. Then he quietly explained to the teacher that he had been sending a message to his father. You see, his mother was recovering from major surgery in the hospital, and he was checking to see if she was okay.

The teacher’s heart softened as she listened. She realized that sometimes things are not what they seem.

At the end, Daniel was smiling because the message finally came: his mother was resting, and the doctors were saying that she would recover. The teacher was smiling too, grateful she was teaching not just grammar, but also patience and understanding.

The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were happening at a specific moment in the past. We form the past continuous with was/were + verb + ing.

• “Was” is used with I, he, she, and it.
• “Were” is used with you, we, and they.

The past continuous describes actions in progress at a particular time in the past. It’s useful when you want to show that something was happening when another action occurred.

Examples:

• “I was reading a book when she called.”
• “He was playing soccer yesterday afternoon.”
• “We were watching TV when the lights went out.”
• “They were studying for the test all day.”

Understanding and using the past continuous helps you communicate more naturally when talking about actions in the past. It allows you to describe things that were happening over time, which is common in everyday conversations.

• Meeting people:
  • “I was walking to work when I saw you!”
• Describing past events:
  • “We were traveling in Italy last year.”
• Talking about what you were doing at a specific time:
  • “What were you doing at 8 p.m. yesterday?”
  • “I was having dinner with my family.”
• Listening for important details:
  • “She was studying when the phone rang.”

This grammar is crucial for understanding what was happening at a particular time and can make your conversations sound more fluent and clear.

Now, practice your language skills with this interactive game.

We use the past continuous to talk about actions that were happening at a particular moment in the past. These questions help you practice speaking about things you were doing, events in your life, and more. Use “I was…,” “He was…,” or “They were…” in your answers. Listen to your classmates and try to ask follow-up questions.

1. Talk About What You Were Doing:
   
   • What were you doing last night at 8 p.m.?
     ➤ For example: “I was studying. I was watching TV.”
2. Talk About Past Events:
   
   • What were you doing when it started to rain?
     ➤ For example: “I was walking to the store. I was driving home.”
3. Talk About a Family Member or Friend:
   
   • What was your friend doing last weekend?
     ➤ For example: “She was visiting her grandmother. He was playing soccer.”
4. Describe What Was Happening at a Specific Time:
   
   • What were you doing at 6 p.m. yesterday?
     ➤ For example: “I was having dinner. We were watching a movie.”
5. Talk About Your Past Week:
   
   • What were you doing last Tuesday afternoon?
     ➤ For example: “I was at work. I was reading a book.”
6. Discuss Group Activities:
   
   • What were you and your friends doing together last weekend?
     ➤ For example: “We were playing football. We were eating at a restaurant.”