English – Grammar: The Past Continuous Tense (Formation and Uses) – 1st Year Middle School – Algeria

The Past Continuous Tense

The past continuous tense describes an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past.

Formation

was/were + verb-ing

• I/He/She/It was playing.
• You/We/They were playing.

Uses

1. Action in progress at a specific time: At 8 PM, I was doing my homework.
2. Interrupted action: I was watching TV when the phone rang.
3. Parallel actions: While I was cooking, my brother was playing.

Signal Words

• while, when, as, at + specific time

Exercises

1. Complete: I ____ (read) when you called. They ____ (play) football at 5 PM.
2. Choose: I (was watching / watched) TV when she arrived.

Discover more: Past Simple vs Past Continuous and Present Continuous Tense.