Grammar in focus

Form

was / were + verb-ing (was: I, he, she, it · were: you, we, they)

Short answers: Yes, I was. · No, they weren't.

Use

• Action in progress at a specific past moment: At 8 p.m. I was watching TV.
• Interrupted action: I was cooking when the phone rang. (long action = past continuous, short action = past simple)
• Two actions at the same time: She was reading while he was cooking.
• Background and description: It was raining and the sun wasn't shining.

Words used with it

while, when, at 8 o'clock last night, all day yesterday, at that time.

Spelling of -ing

run → running · make → making · lie → lying · sit → sitting

Watch out

• She were sleeping → She was sleeping. We was waiting → We were waiting.
• No did: Did you were working? → Were you working?
• State verbs (know, want, like) are not used in the continuous: He was knowing → He knew.

En español

Pasado continuo (was/were + -ing) = lo que estaba pasando en un momento del pasado: Estaba cocinando cuando sonó el teléfono. La acción larga va en pasado continuo; la corta (la interrupción), en pasado simple.