The Past Progressive

When do we need the Past Progressive?

Remember that this tense is used less than 5% of the time - so don't overuse it!

When we do use it, it is:

  • for the past of the Present Progressive
    • Present Progressive: "At the moment I am preparing for a meeting." / "This week I am working in Frankfurt."
    • Past Progressive: "At that time I was preparing for a meeting." / "This time last week I was working in Frankfurt."
  • to say that someone was in the middle of doing something at a certain time in the past
    • The action or situation had already started before this time, but hadn't finished. E.g. At 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon I was preparing for a meeting. The Past Progressive does not say whether the action was ever finished or not. In this example the person may still need more time to prepare for the meeting.
  • to show that an action in the past went on for a longer period of time or was repeated
    • This is where the Past Progressive is clearly different from the Past Simple.
Past Progressive Past Simple
Emphasis on length of time Emphasis on action or noun
e.g. I was working on that report all afternoon. e.g. I worked on that report all afternoon.
Emphasis on repetition Emphasis on action or noun
e.g. Yesterday we were calling each other all afternoon. e.g. Yesterday we called each other all afternoon.
  • for an action that was interrupted by another action in the past
    • E.g. When John arrived we were having a meeting. (If both of these sentences are in the Past Simple it shows the order of events - "When John arrived we had a meeting." - 1. John arrived 2. We had a meeting.)
  • to show that two actions were going on at the same time in the past
    • E.g. While we were having a meeting Jane was finishing the report.
  • for indirect speech
    • Direct speech: We are having a meeting now.
    • Indirect speech: She said they were having a meeting.

Diagram

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General Overview

Key words

while, at that time, this time last ...

Special rules:

Progressives are not usually used for abstract verbs (verbs of feeling, thinking, possession & sense, as well as auxiliary verbs)

How do I make the tense?

The Past Progressive is formed with the helping verb was (or: were) and the -ing form of the verb.

Here are examples of:

 

Statements:

  • When he got there I was working.
  • When I got there you were working.
  • When you got there she was working.
  • When you got there he was working.
  • When you got there it was working.
  • When he got there we were working.
  • When you got there they were working.

Questions:

  • Was I working when you arrived?
  • Were you working when I arrived?
  • Was she working when I arrived?
  • Was he working when I arrived?
  • Was it working when I arrived?
  • Were we working when he arrived?
  • Were they working when she arrived?

Negatives:

  • I was not (wasn't) working when she arrived.
  • You were not (weren't) working when she arrived.
  • She was not (wasn't) working when he arrived.
  • He was not (wasn't) working when she arrived.
  • It was not (wasn't) working when she arrived.
  • We were not working when she arrived.
  • They were not working when she arrived.

Short answers

  • Yes, I was.
  • Yes, she was.
  • Yes, they were.
  • No, I was not.
  • No, I wasn't.
  • No, she was not.
  • No, she wasn't
  • No, they were not.
  • No, they weren't