[NOTE] 100+ examples of past continuous with detailed usage formula

Formula for the past continuous

Similar to the types of tenses in English, the past continuous tense formula is divided into four forms, respectively: affirmative form, negative form, interrogative form and question form containing question words.

Affirmation Formula

Eg:

The sun was shining every day that summer. (That summer the sun was already bright.)

She was reading a book while people were talking to each other. (She is reading a book while everyone is talking to each other.)

They were watching football on TV at 10 p.m yesterday. (They watched football on TV at 10 p.m. yesterday.)

I was playing chess when she called me. (I was playing chess when she called me.)

While I was listening to music, I heard the doorbell. (While I was listening to music, I heard the doorbell ring.)

Khoa was planting flowers in the garden at 5 p.m yesterday. Khoa was planting flowers in the garden at 5 pm yesterday.

They were working when the fire happened yesterday. (They were working when the fire broke out yesterday.)

He was always reported his girlfriend’s birthday. (He always forgets his girlfriend’s birthday.)

While I was reading a book last night, suddenly the electricity went off. (While I was reading a book last night, suddenly the electricity went off.)

The man was sending money to his daughter in the post office at that time. (The man was sending money to his daughter in the post office at the time.)

Negative formula

Eg:

I wasn’t sleeping when you got home late last night. (I didn’t sleep when you got home last night.)

They weren’t sleeping during the meeting last Monday. (They didn’t sleep during last Monday’s meeting.)

My sister was not doing the housework when our guest came home. (My sister didn’t do the housework when our grandparents came home.)

They weren’t going to school when Mr. Just met them yesterday. (They weren’t at school when Duy met them yesterday.)

My mother wasn’t mopping the floor when my father returned. (My mother did not mop the floor when my father returned.)

When I wasn’t living with my dad, he wasn’t cooked special dishes everyday. (When I don’t live with my dad, he doesn’t cook special dishes every day.)

I wasn’t waiting in front of the theater when she got there. (I wasn’t waiting in front of the theater when she got there.)

When I came, she wasn’t making up on her room. (When I arrived, she was still unprepared in the room.)

The van wasn’t running very fast when the traffic light was red. (The van doesn’t go fast when the light is red.)

My father wasn’t playing Chinese chess with his friend when I got home. (My father didn’t play chess with his friends when I got home.)

Interrogative formula (Yes/No question)

Eg:

Were you studying Math at 5 p.m yesterday? (Were you studying Math at 5pm yesterday?)

Was your mother going to the market at 7 a.m yesterday? (Did your mother go to the market at 7 am yesterday?)

Were they staying with you when I called yesterday? (Did they stay with you when I called yesterday?)

Were you calling me when I emailed you this afternoon? (Did you call me when I emailed you this afternoon?)

Were they gambling when policemen appeared? (Were they gambling when the police showed up?)

Were you thinking about him last night? (Did you think about him last night?)

Were they listening while he was talking? (Are they listening when he’s talking?)

Was Lily riding her bike when Jane saw her yesterday? (Was Lily riding her bike when Jane saw her yesterday?)

Were you studying Math at 5 p.m. yesterday? (You were studying Math at 5 p.m. yesterday?)

Were we making too much noise? (Are we making too much noise?)

Question formula with question words WH question

Eg:

What were you doing when I called? (What did you do when I called?)

What were you doing in the morning yesterday? (What did you do yesterday morning?)

What were you doing at 10 pm yesterday? (What did you do at 10 o’clock last night?)

Where were you going when I caught you last night? (Where were you when I caught you last night?)

What was the Lord doing when fire happened? (What did God do when the fire broke out?)

What were you doing when the alarm went off last night? (What were you doing when last night’s alarm went off?)

What was she doing this time yesterday? (What did she do at this time yesterday?)

What was she talking about? (What is she talking about?)

What were you doing in the meeting yesterday? (What did you do in the meeting yesterday?)

What was she doing while her mother was making lunch? (What is she doing while her mother is making lunch?)

Synthesize examples of the past continuous in 5 ways

So in what cases should we use the past continuous? In order to no longer have difficulty in determining the type of tense above, let’s take a look at 5 ways to use the past continuous with Monkey and illustrative examples to understand this type of tense!

Describes an action that was happening at a certain time in the past.

I was watching TV at 8 o’clock last night. (I was watching TV at 8 o’clock last night.)

This time last year they were living in England. (At this time last year they were living in England.)

I was studying English at 10 pm last night. (I was studying English at 10 o’clock last night.)

We were watching TV at 12 o’clock last night. (We were watching TV at 12 o’clock last night.)

While it was snowing in Iowa, the sun was shining in Florida. (While it was snowing in Iowa, in Florida the sun was shining.)

I was chatting with my friends while my teacher was teaching the lesson yesterday. (I was chatting with my friends while my teacher was giving a lecture yesterday.)

He wasn’t studying at that time. (He was not studying at the time.)

What were you doing at 7 o’clock last night? (At 7 o’clock last night what were you doing?)

Yesterday, he was working in the laboratory all the afternoon. (All afternoon yesterday he was working in the laboratory.)

They were meeting secretly after school. (They secretly met after school.)

We couldn’t go to the beach yesterday because it was raining. (We couldn’t go to the beach yesterday because it rained.)

Describe actions that happened at the same time in the past.

John was listening to music while his mother was cooking in the kitchen. (John is listening to music while his mother cooks in the kitchen.)

Our team were eating dinner, discussing plans, and having a good time. (Our team was having dinner, discussing plans, and having a good time.)

While he was taking a bath, she was using the computer. (While he was taking a shower, she was using the computer.)

She was singing while I was playing game. (She was singing while I was playing the game.)

She was writing a letter while we were watching TV. (She was writing a letter while we were watching a movie.)

She was drawing while he was playing games. (She was drawing while he was playing video games.)

My brother was watching TV at that time. (My brother was watching TV at the time.)

I was studying while my mother was cooking in the kitchen. (I was studying while my mother cooked in the kitchen.)

While my dad was reading an English book, my mom was cooking dinner. (While my father reads English books, my mother cooks dinner)

When I was traveling to Phu Quoc Island, my dog left home. (When I traveled to Phu Quoc Island, my dog ran away from home.)

When I was living with my dad, he cooked special dishes everyday. (When I lived with my father, he cooked special dishes every day.)

While John was reading a book, Martha was watching television. (While John was reading, Martha was watching television.)

When Tom arrived, we were having dinner. (When Tom arrived, we were having dinner.)

The children were doing their homework when I got home. (The kids were doing their homework when I got home.)

While I was studying in my room, my roommates were having a party in the other room. (While I was studying in my room, my roommates were having a party in another room.)

The tourist lost his camera while he was walking around the city. (The tourist lost his camera while walking around the city.)

Describes an action that is happening when another action is interrupted.

He was walking in the park when it rained. (He was walking in the park when it rained.)

They were waiting for the bus when the accident happened. (They were waiting for the bus when the accident happened.)

He was walking in the street when he suddenly fell over. (As he was walking on the road, he suddenly tripped.)

We met Minh when we were going shopping yesterday. (We ran into Minh while shopping yesterday.)

The light went out when I was washing my clothes. (The power went out while I was washing clothes.)

When she was doing homework in her room, her phone rang. (She was doing her homework in her room when her phone rang.)

When I was studying in my room, my friend came. (While I was studying in my room, my friend came.)

We were sitting in the Cafe when John saw us. (We were sitting at a cafe when John caught us.)

I lost my keys when I was walking home. (I lost my key while walking home.)

It was raining while we had dinner. (It rained while we had dinner.)

I saw the department stores when I was sitting on the bus. (I saw the department store when I was sitting on the bus.)

Her phone rang while she was talking to her new boss. (Her phone rang while she was talking to her new boss.)

My friends were driving to work when they heard the news on the radio. (My friends were driving to work when they heard the news on the radio.)

He was riding his bicycle when the cat ran across the road. (He was riding his bicycle when the cat ran across the street.)

Mary and I were dancing in the house when the telephone rang. (Mary and I were dancing in the house when the phone rang.)

I was walking down the street when it began to rain. (I was walking down the street when it started to rain.)

Jim was standing under the tree when he heard an explosion. (Jim was standing under a tree when he heard an explosion.)

Describe an action that used to be repeated in the past and was annoying or bothersome to others.

When Lisa stayed with me, she was always singing. (When Lisa is with me, she sings all the time.)

My friends were always complaining about their wives. (My friends complain about their wives all the time.)

My dad was always complaining about my room when he got there. (My dad always complains about my room when he’s there.)

He was always making mistakes even in easy assignments. (He always makes mistakes even in simple tasks.)

He was always reported his girlfriend’s birthday. (He always forgets his girlfriend’s birthday.)

She was always boasting about her work when she worked here. (When she worked here she kept bragging about her work.)

Emphasize the happening, process, event or time in which that thing or event takes place.

At 10 a.m yesterday, she was watching TV. (At 10 a.m., she was watching TV.)

She was cooking at 7 p.m yesterday. (She was cooking at 7 o’clock last night.)

We were having final test at this time three weeks ago. (We are taking the final exam at this time 3 weeks ago.)

What were you doing 8:00 pm last night? (What did you do at 8pm last night?)

He wasn’t planting trees in the garden at 4 pm yesterday. (He didn’t plant trees in his garden at 4 p.m. yesterday.)

She was typing at 5 pm yesterday. (She typed at 5pm yesterday.)

I was playing volleyball at 4 pm yesterday. (I played volleyball at 4pm yesterday.)

We were working on the computer at 3 pm yesterday. (We were working on the computer at 3pm yesterday.)

It was eight o’clock. I was writing a letter. (It’s eight o’clock. I’m writing a letter.)

At this time last year, I was attending an English course. (At this time last year, I was taking an English course.)

Above is an article about examples of past continuous tense, hopefully Monkey has brought readers useful knowledge about basic English grammar.

Wish you all good study!