ESL Grammar Past Progressive

Forms of Past Progressive 

Affirmative 

Subject   +   to be   +   ing verb

Example: They were eating apples

Negative

Subject   +   to be   +   not   +   ing verb

Example: He was not running last week.

Question

To be   +   subject   +   ing verb

Example: Were you drinking yesterday?

Uses of Past Progressive 

1. Use the past continuous to indicate a longer action in the past was interrupted by a shorter action. I was playing video when my friend called. While we were eating, it started to rain. 

2. Specific time as an interruption. Last night at 7, they were watching a movie. At midnight, she was taking a bath. 

3. When you use the past continuous with two actions in the same sentence, it expresses the idea that both actions were happening at the same time. I was walking while listening to music in the park. She was texting her friend, working on homework and eating at the same time.