At nine, the bike repair was already under way. The past continuous places us inside that activity at a past reference point; it does not tell us exactly when the repair finished.

The idea

Use was + -ing with I/he/she/it and were + -ing with you/we/they. For negatives, use wasn't/weren't. For questions, move was/were before the subject: Were you using...? Two continuous clauses can show simultaneous activities.

Examples

  • At nine, I was repairing my bike.
  • Mina was reading while I was cooking.
  • They were waiting outside the cinema.
  • The dog wasn't sleeping; it was listening.
  • Were you using the printer at noon?
  • What was she carrying in that box?

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Watch out

Do not omit was/were or use did in this pattern: Was she carrying...?, not Did she was carrying...?. A long duration alone does not require the continuous. State verbs such as know normally use the past simple in their usual state meaning.

Try it yourself

  1. Choose the correct option. At nine, I ___ repairing my bike. (was / were)

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    was

    I takes was. Together, was repairing shows the activity in progress at nine.

  2. Choose the correct option. They ___ waiting outside the cinema. (was / were)

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    were

    They takes were. The plural subject needs were waiting, not was waiting.

  3. Choose the correct option. What was she ___ in that box? (carry / carrying)

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    carrying

    The verb after was takes the -ing form: carrying. The auxiliary already marks past time.

Use it today

Choose a specific time yesterday. Describe what you and another person were doing, add one negative, and ask a question about an activity in progress at that time.