The ESL HELP! Desk

How Do I Form the Past Progressive Tense?

The past progressive tense is also commonly called the past continuous tense.

It is composed of two parts.

Use:

1. the appropriate past tense form of the be verb (was, were), and

2. the ~ing form of the main verb.

Examples:

• Everybody was waiting for us in the church.
• My husband told me that my entire body was shaking.
• She was crying.
• They were smiling.

When should I use the past progressive?

When Should I Use the Past Progressive Tense?

Use the past progressive tense:

• to describe two actions that both occurred at the same time in the past but one action began earlier than the other.
  
  Use past continuous tense for the action that began earlier and use simple past tense for the action that began later.

  • I rescued two men who were sleeping on the railroad tracks.
         later                             earlier

  • I saw my ex-wife there and she was crying.
       later                                    earlier

  • I saw two men who were lying on the track.
       later                      earlier

  • The two men were sleeping and I came and tried to wake them up.
                           earlier                     later
    

• to describe an action that occurred in the past but you wish to emphasize the moment at which that action occurred.

• At that moment, my whole body was shaking.

• They were smiling.

• She was crying.
  

• to describe two actions that were occurring at the same time in the past.

  • At tjhat time, my father and I were making the same salary.

  • I was* on post and I was guarding the store houses.

* The be verb is not commonly used in the progressive tense. See 3-10.;

Please continue with our next lesson, Nonprogressive Verbs.

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