67 Past Continuous Tense Examples (Plus a Downloadable Chart)

67 Past Continuous Tense Examples (Plus a Downloadable Chart)

Sometimes the best way to learn a new verb tense is to see some examples of it in action. By reading and analyzing these past continuous tense examples, you can improve your own sentences.

Before you start, you should make sure that you have a good foundation in the grammar and uses of the past continuous. We have that, and some exercises you can do, over on our past continuous grammar page.

After that, you can download our examples chart and look at all of our sample sentences on this page.

The next step is to practice writing your own sentences using this tense. If you have some sentences that you want us to check, comment on this post or click on the image below. We can do our best to correct your sentences and help you improve.

1. Positive Past Continuous Tense Examples

1. I was going to run in the park, but then I decided to go to bed instead.

2. You were swimming in the pool all day.

3. He was trying to solve the problem last week.

4. She was planning his birthday party yesterday.

5. It was running out of battery when it turned off.

6. We were hoping that you might want to go to the park with us.

7. They were reading in the library while the rest of the class was playing tag. 

8. John and Susan were having lunch when the power went out.

2. Negative Past Continuous Tense Examples

1a. I was not skipping out on class last week.
1b. I wasn’t skipping out on class last week.

2a. You were not ice skating when I came over last winter.
2b. You weren’t ice skating when I came over last winter. 

3a. He was not trying very hard on the test.
3b. He wasn’t trying very hard on the test.

4a. She was not eating dinner when you came home.
4b. She wasn’t eating dinner when you came home.

5a. It was not flying very well.
5b. It wasn’t flying very well.

6a. We were not behaving very well in class yesterday.
6b. We weren’t behaving very well in class yesterday. 

7a. They were not sitting in their seats when the teacher came in.
7b. They weren’t sitting in their seats when the teacher came in.

3. Positive Past Continuous Questions

1. When was I walking in the park?

2. What were you playing last night?

3. Why was he shouting at her?

4. How was she still living in New York last year?

5. Was it updating last night?

6. Were we watching TV when they got home?

7. When were they planning to ask me about my new job?

4. Negative Past Continuous Questions

1a. Wasn’t I just telling you that?
1b. Was I not just telling you that?

2a. Weren’t you going to try to go to London next year?
2b. Were you not going to try to go to London next year?

3a. Wasn’t he writing that novel over a year ago?
3b. Was he not writing that novel over a year ago?

4a. Wasn’t she listening to you?
4b. Was she not listening to you?

5a. Wasn’t it playing music really loudly?
5b. Was it not playing music really loudly?

6a. Weren’t we looking good when we went to the party?
6b. Were we not looking good when we went to the party?

7a. Weren’t they having a good time?
7b. Were they not having a good time? 

Learn About Verbs with the Learner’s Nook

There is always more you can learn when it comes to verbs. Click on the image below, and you can see all of our verb resources, including grammar explanations, examples, and quizzes.

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