100 Past Continuous Tense Sentences

Do you want to talk about what was happening in the past? Maybe you want to tell a short story about a busy day or say what you were doing when something else happened. That’s when we use the past continuous tense. Some people call it the past progressive tense.

In this lesson, you’ll see simple examples of past continuous tense sentences and an easy formula. You’ll read past continuous tense example sentences that show how people use this tense in real life. 

Past Continuous Tense Sentences

Past Continuous Tense Formula (Affirmative)

Structure:

Subject + was / were + verb + -ing + (object / time expression)

Examples of forms:

• I was reading a book at 8 pm.

• They were playing football when it started to rain.

Notes:

• Use was with I / he / she / it.

• Use were with you / we / they.

• Add “-ing” to the base verb; watch for spelling changes with verbs that end in e or double consonants.

Past Continuous Tense Sentences-Affirmative

34 Past Continuous Tense Affirmative Sentences

Below are 34 natural and varied affirmative examples you can use in writing and speaking practice. Notice time markers and context words that often appear with the past continuous tense.

1. I was studying for my exam when the phone rang.

2. She was cooking dinner while he set the table.

3. They were walking to school at dawn.

4. We were watching a movie at 9 pm last night.

5. He was fixing his bike in the garage all afternoon.

6. The children were playing in the garden after lunch.

7. I was listening to music when the power went out.

8. She was writing an email to her boss when the meeting started.

9. They were waiting for the bus in the rain.

10. We were planning our holiday when we found a great deal.

11. He was reading the newspaper in the café.

12. The dog was sleeping on the sofa during the storm.

13. I was practicing the piano every evening last week.

14. She was painting the fence while he trimmed the hedges.

15. They were discussing the project all morning.

16. We were enjoying the concert until it began to drizzle.

17. He was jogging along the river when he saw an old friend.

18. The students were taking notes during the lecture.

19. I was browsing recipes when I discovered a new dessert.

20. She was rehearsing her speech before the presentation.

21. They were building a treehouse over the weekend.

22. We were searching for the keys in every pocket.

23. He was learning French while living in Paris.

24. The team were celebrating their win at midnight.

25. I was checking my messages when a strange notification appeared.

26. She was knitting a scarf for her sister.

27. They were exploring the old town all afternoon.

28. We were trying to fix the Wi-Fi connection for an hour.

29. He was preparing the slides when his computer crashed.

30. The baby was crawling across the floor happily.

31. I was watering the plants when the neighbor waved.

32. She was taking photographs of the sunset on the beach.

33. They were rehearsing a scene for the school play.

34. We were sipping hot tea and talking late into the night.

Past Continuous Tense Negative Sentences

To make a sentence negative in the past continuous tense, simply place “not” after “was” or “were.”

Formula

Subject + was/were + not + verb-ing + (object / time expression)

You can also contract them naturally in speech:

• was not → wasn’t

• were not → weren’t

Example:

• I was not watching TV when you called.

• They weren’t studying last night.

Past Continuous Tense Sentences—Negative

33 Past Continuous Tense Negative Sentences

1. I wasn’t sleeping when you knocked on the door.

2. She wasn’t cooking dinner yesterday evening.

3. They weren’t playing outside because it was raining.

4. We weren’t watching TV at that time.

5. He wasn’t reading the newspaper this morning.

6. The teacher wasn’t explaining the rule clearly.

7. I wasn’t driving too fast on that road.

8. She wasn’t feeling well yesterday.

9. They weren’t talking to each other after the meeting.

10. We weren’t waiting for the bus for long.

11. He wasn’t cleaning the garage on Sunday.

12. The children weren’t doing their homework properly.

13. I wasn’t listening when the alarm went off.

14. She wasn’t studying hard for the exam.

15. They weren’t attending the conference in person.

16. We weren’t planning any trip last winter.

17. He wasn’t playing guitar in the concert.

18. The baby wasn’t crying during the movie.

19. I wasn’t wearing a jacket because it was warm.

20. She wasn’t checking her phone all the time.

21. They weren’t waiting at the airport lounge.

22. We weren’t discussing the problem seriously.

23. He wasn’t fixing the car yesterday afternoon.

24. The dog wasn’t barking at strangers.

25. I wasn’t helping him with the project then.

26. She wasn’t walking to work that day.

27. They weren’t running late for the class.

28. We weren’t eating lunch at 1 p.m.

29. He wasn’t working on the report last night.

30. The students weren’t taking a test yesterday.

31. I wasn’t spending much time online then.

32. She wasn’t waiting for anyone special.

33. They weren’t laughing at your joke.

Past Continuous Tense Interrogative Sentences

When you want to ask a question in the past continuous tense, move was or were to the beginning of the sentence.

Formula

Was/Were + subject + verb-ing + (object / time expression)?

You can also add Wh-words (what, where, why) before was/were for question words.

Example:

• Was she reading when you arrived?

• What were they doing at 9 p.m.?

Past Continuous Tense Sentences—Interrogative

33 Past Continuous Tense Interrogative Sentences

1. Was I talking too loudly last night?

2. Were you listening to music during class?

3. Was he sleeping when the guests arrived?

4. Was she cooking dinner at that time?

5. Were they watching the match on TV?

6. Were we walking home together yesterday?

7. Was he studying for the final exam?

8. Were the kids playing in the park then?

9. Was I driving too fast on that road?

10. Were you waiting for someone special?

11. Was she cleaning the kitchen when you came?

12. Was he fixing the door yesterday morning?

13. Were they laughing at the teacher’s joke?

14. Were we talking about the same movie?

15. Was I wearing a red shirt yesterday?

16. Were you feeling tired after work?

17. Was she writing a letter when you saw her?

18. Was he working on his laptop late at night?

19. Were they dancing at the party last weekend?

20. Were we eating lunch at the same restaurant?

21. Was I doing something wrong?

22. Were you running in the rain?

23. Was she studying in the library?

24. Was he helping his friend move house?

25. Were they traveling abroad last month?

26. Were we waiting too long in line?

27. Was I making too much noise?

28. Were you reading that new novel yesterday?

29. Was she watching her favorite show last night?

30. Was he teaching online when the power went off?

31. Were they sleeping during the thunderstorm?

32. Were we planning a surprise party for him?

33. Was I dreaming about that again?

FAQs about Past Continuous Tense Sentences

What is the past continuous tense?

The past continuous tense (also called the past progressive tense) describes actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past. It often sets the background or ongoing action while another event occurs.

Example:

• I was watching TV when the lights went out.

This shows that the action (watching TV) was happening when another action (the lights going out) interrupted it.

What is the structure of the past continuous tense?

Here’s the basic past continuous tense formula you can always rely on:

This formula never changes—only the subject and verb do!

How do you use the past continuous tense in a sentence?

Use it to describe:

1. An action that was happening at a particular moment in the past.

2. Two actions happening at the same time.

3. A background scene for another past event.

Examples:

• They were talking while I was cooking.

• It was raining when she left the office.

Pro tip: You’ll often find time expressions like “while,” “when,” “at that time,” “at 9 p.m.,” “yesterday evening,” etc.

How to teach the past continuous tense?

Teaching this tense becomes easy when you combine context + visuals + storytelling.
Here’s how:

• Start with timeline visuals showing two overlapping actions.

• Use contrast examples: “I watched TV” (past simple) vs. “I was watching TV” (past continuous).

• Encourage students to describe what they were doing at different times yesterday.

You’ll see learners grasp it faster when they can connect it to real-life experiences.

What are 10 examples of the past continuous tense?

Here are 10 quick examples you can memorize or use in your exercises:

1. I was reading a book at 10 p.m.

2. She was cooking when I arrived.

3. They were talking in the hallway.

4. He was working on his laptop.

5. We were watching a movie together.

6. The children were playing in the park.

7. I was driving home in the rain.

8. She was singing softly.

9. They were studying for their exams.

10. We were eating dinner when the bell rang.