Past Continuous Forms

Positive	Negative	Question
I was singing. You were singing. We were singing. They were singing. He was singing. She was singing. It was singing.	I was not singing. You were not singing. We were not singing. They were not singing. He was not singing. She was not singing. It was not singing.	Was I singing? Were you singing? Were we singing? Were they singing? Was he singing? Was she singing? Was it singing?

Past Continuous

FORM

[was/were + present participle]

Complete List of Past Continuous Forms

USE 1 Interrupted Action in the Past

 

Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.

USE 2 Specific Time as an Interruption

 

In USE 1, described above, the Past Continuous is interrupted by a shorter action in the Simple Past. However, you can also use a specific time as an interruption.

IMPORTANT

In the Simple Past, a specific time is used to show when an action began or finished. In the Past Continuous, a specific time only interrupts the action.

USE 3 Parallel Actions

 

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. The actions are parallel.

USE 4 Atmosphere

In English, we often use a series of parallel actions to describe the atmosphere at a particular time in the past.

USE 5 Repetition and Irritation with “Always”

 

The Past Continuous with words such as “always” or “constantly” expresses the idea that something irritating or shocking often happened in the past. The concept is very similar to the expression “used to” but with negative emotion. Remember to put the words “always” or “constantly” between “be” and “verb+ing.”

While vs. When

Clauses are groups of words which have meaning, but are often not complete sentences. Some clauses begin with the word “when” such as “when she called” or “when it bit me.” Other clauses begin with “while” such as “while she was sleeping” and “while he was surfing.” When you talk about things in the past, “when” is most often followed by the verb tense Simple Past, whereas “while” is usually followed by Past Continuous. “While” expresses the idea of “during that time.” Study the examples below. They have similar meanings, but they emphasize different parts of the sentence.

REMEMBER Non-Continuous Verbs / Mixed Verbs

It is important to remember that Non-Continuous Verbs cannot be used in any continuous tenses. Also, certain non-continuous meanings for Mixed Verbs cannot be used in continuous tenses. Instead of using Past Continuous with these verbs, you must use Simple Past.

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

ACTIVE / PASSIVE

More About Active / Passive Forms

Flashcards | Exercises | About Dictionary

A
Infinitive	Simple Past	Past Participle
arise	arose	arisen
awake	awakened / awoke	awakened / awoken
B
backslide	backslid	backslidden / backslid
be	was, were	been
bear	bore	born / borne
beat	beat	beaten / beat
become	became	become
begin	began	begun
bend	bent	bent
bet	bet / betted[?]	bet / betted [?]
bid (farewell)	bid / bade	bidden
bid (offer amount)	bid	bid
bind	bound	bound
bite	bit	bitten
bleed	bled	bled
blow	blew	blown
break	broke	broken
breed	bred	bred
bring	brought	brought
broadcast	broadcast / broadcasted	broadcast / broadcasted
browbeat	browbeat	browbeaten / browbeat
build	built	built
burn	burned / burnt [?]	burned / burnt [?]
burst	burst	burst
bust	busted / bust	busted / bust
buy	bought	bought
C
cast	cast	cast
catch	caught	caught
choose	chose	chosen
cling	clung	clung
clothe	clothed / clad [?]	clothed / clad [?]
come	came	come
cost	cost	cost
creep	crept	crept
crossbreed	crossbred	crossbred
cut	cut	cut
D
daydream	daydreamed / daydreamt [?]	daydreamed / daydreamt [?]
deal	dealt	dealt
dig	dug	dug
disprove	disproved	disproved / disproven
dive (jump head-first)	dove / dived	dived
dive (scuba diving)	dived / dove	dived
do	did	done
draw	drew	drawn
dream	dreamed / dreamt [?]	dreamed / dreamt [?]
drink	drank	drunk
drive	drove	driven
dwell	dwelt / dwelled [?]	dwelt / dwelled [?]
E
eat	ate	eaten
F
fall	fell	fallen
feed	fed	fed
feel	felt	felt
fight	fought	fought
find	found	found
fit (tailor, change size)	fitted / fit [?]	fitted / fit [?]
fit (be right size)	fit / fitted[?]	fit / fitted [?]
flee	fled	fled
fling	flung	flung
fly	flew	flown
forbid	forbade	forbidden
forecast	forecast	forecast
forego (also forgo)	forewent	foregone
foresee	foresaw	foreseen
foretell	foretold	foretold
forget	forgot	forgotten / forgot [?]
forgive	forgave	forgiven
forsake	forsook	forsaken
freeze	froze	frozen
frostbite	frostbit	frostbitten
G
get	got	gotten / got [?]
give	gave	given
go	went	gone
grind	ground	ground
grow	grew	grown
H
hand-feed	hand-fed	hand-fed
handwrite	handwrote	handwritten
hang	hung	hung
have	had	had
hear	heard	heard
hew	hewed	hewn / hewed
hide	hid	hidden
hit	hit	hit
hold	held	held
hurt	hurt	hurt
I
inbreed	inbred	inbred
inlay	inlaid	inlaid
input	input / inputted	input / inputted
interbreed	interbred	interbred
interweave	interwove / interweaved	interwoven / interweaved
interwind	interwound	interwound
J
jerry-build	jerry-built	jerry-built
K
keep	kept	kept
kneel	knelt / kneeled	knelt / kneeled
knit	knitted / knit	knitted / knit
know	knew	known
L
lay	laid	laid
lead	led	led
lean	leaned / leant [?]	leaned / leant [?]
leap	leaped / leapt [?]	leaped / leapt [?]
learn	learned / learnt [?]	learned / learnt [?]
leave	left	left
lend	lent	lent
let	let	let
lie	lay	lain
lie (not tell truth) REGULAR	lied	lied
light	lit / lighted	lit / lighted
lip-read	lip-read	lip-read
lose	lost	lost
M
make	made	made
mean	meant	meant
meet	met	met
miscast	miscast	miscast
misdeal	misdealt	misdealt
misdo	misdid	misdone
mishear	misheard	misheard
mislay	mislaid	mislaid
mislead	misled	misled
mislearn	mislearned / mislearnt [?]	mislearned / mislearnt [?]
misread	misread	misread
misset	misset	misset
misspeak	misspoke	misspoken
misspell	misspelled / misspelt [?]	misspelled / misspelt [?]
misspend	misspent	misspent
mistake	mistook	mistaken
misteach	mistaught	mistaught
misunderstand	misunderstood	misunderstood
miswrite	miswrote	miswritten
mow	mowed	mowed / mown
N
No irregular verbs beginning with “N.”
O
offset	offset	offset
outbid	outbid	outbid
outbreed	outbred	outbred
outdo	outdid	outdone
outdraw	outdrew	outdrawn
outdrink	outdrank	outdrunk
outdrive	outdrove	outdriven
outfight	outfought	outfought
outfly	outflew	outflown
outgrow	outgrew	outgrown
outleap	outleaped / outleapt [?]	outleaped / outleapt [?]
outlie (not tell truth) REGULAR	outlied	outlied
outride	outrode	outridden
outrun	outran	outrun
outsell	outsold	outsold
outshine	outshined / outshone [?]	outshined / outshone [?]
outshoot	outshot	outshot
outsing	outsang	outsung
outsit	outsat	outsat
outsleep	outslept	outslept
outsmell	outsmelled / outsmelt [?]	outsmelled / outsmelt [?]
outspeak	outspoke	outspoken
outspeed	outsped	outsped
outspend	outspent	outspent
outswear	outswore	outsworn
outswim	outswam	outswum
outthink	outthought	outthought
outthrow	outthrew	outthrown
outwrite	outwrote	outwritten
overbid	overbid	overbid
overbreed	overbred	overbred
overbuild	overbuilt	overbuilt
overbuy	overbought	overbought
overcome	overcame	overcome
overdo	overdid	overdone
overdraw	overdrew	overdrawn
overdrink	overdrank	overdrunk
overeat	overate	overeaten
overfeed	overfed	overfed
overhang	overhung	overhung
overhear	overheard	overheard
overlay	overlaid	overlaid
overpay	overpaid	overpaid
override	overrode	overridden
overrun	overran	overrun
oversee	oversaw	overseen
oversell	oversold	oversold
oversew	oversewed	oversewn / oversewed
overshoot	overshot	overshot
oversleep	overslept	overslept
overspeak	overspoke	overspoken
overspend	overspent	overspent
overspill	overspilled / overspilt [?]	overspilled / overspilt [?]
overtake	overtook	overtaken
overthink	overthought	overthought
overthrow	overthrew	overthrown
overwind	overwound	overwound
overwrite	overwrote	overwritten
P
partake	partook	partaken
pay	paid	paid
plead	pleaded / pled	pleaded / pled
prebuild	prebuilt	prebuilt
predo	predid	predone
premake	premade	premade
prepay	prepaid	prepaid
presell	presold	presold
preset	preset	preset
preshrink	preshrank	preshrunk
proofread	proofread	proofread
prove	proved	proven / proved
put	put	put
Q
quick-freeze	quick-froze	quick-frozen
quit	quit / quitted [?]	quit / quitted [?]
R
read	read (sounds like “red”)	read (sounds like “red”)
reawake	reawoke	reawaken
rebid	rebid	rebid
rebind	rebound	rebound
rebroadcast	rebroadcast / rebroadcasted	rebroadcast / rebroadcasted
rebuild	rebuilt	rebuilt
recast	recast	recast
recut	recut	recut
redeal	redealt	redealt
redo	redid	redone
redraw	redrew	redrawn
refit (replace parts)	refit / refitted [?]	refit / refitted [?]
refit (retailor)	refitted / refit [?]	refitted / refit [?]
regrind	reground	reground
regrow	regrew	regrown
rehang	rehung	rehung
rehear	reheard	reheard
reknit	reknitted / reknit	reknitted / reknit
relay (for example tiles)	relaid	relaid
relay (pass along) REGULAR	relayed	relayed
relearn	relearned / relearnt [?]	relearned / relearnt [?]
relight	relit / relighted	relit / relighted
remake	remade	remade
repay	repaid	repaid
reread	reread	reread
rerun	reran	rerun
resell	resold	resold
resend	resent	resent
reset	reset	reset
resew	resewed	resewn / resewed
retake	retook	retaken
reteach	retaught	retaught
retear	retore	retorn
retell	retold	retold
rethink	rethought	rethought
retread	retread	retread
retrofit	retrofitted / retrofit [?]	retrofitted / retrofit [?]
rewake	rewoke / rewaked	rewaken / rewaked
rewear	rewore	reworn
reweave	rewove / reweaved	rewoven / reweaved
rewed	rewed / rewedded	rewed / rewedded
rewet	rewet / rewetted [?]	rewet / rewetted [?]
rewin	rewon	rewon
rewind	rewound	rewound
rewrite	rewrote	rewritten
rid	rid	rid
ride	rode	ridden
ring	rang	rung
rise	rose	risen
roughcast	roughcast	roughcast
run	ran	run
S
sand-cast	sand-cast	sand-cast
saw	sawed	sawed / sawn
say	said	said
see	saw	seen
seek	sought	sought
sell	sold	sold
send	sent	sent
set	set	set
sew	sewed	sewn / sewed
shake	shook	shaken
shave	shaved	shaved / shaven
shear	sheared	sheared / shorn
shed	shed	shed
shine	shined / shone [?]	shined / shone [?]
shit	shit / shat / shitted	shit/ shat / shitted
shoot	shot	shot
show	showed	shown / showed
shrink	shrank / shrunk	shrunk
shut	shut	shut
sight-read	sight-read	sight-read
sing	sang	sung
sink	sank / sunk	sunk
sit	sat	sat
slay (kill)	slew / slayed	slain / slayed
slay (amuse) REGULAR	slayed	slayed
sleep	slept	slept
slide	slid	slid
sling	slung	slung
slink	slinked / slunk	slinked / slunk
slit	slit	slit
smell	smelled / smelt [?]	smelled / smelt [?]
sneak	sneaked / snuck	sneaked / snuck
sow	sowed	sown / sowed
speak	spoke	spoken
speed	sped / speeded	sped / speeded
spell	spelled / spelt [?]	spelled / spelt [?]
spend	spent	spent
spill	spilled / spilt [?]	spilled / spilt [?]
spin	spun	spun
spit	spit / spat	spit / spat
split	split	split
spoil	spoiled / spoilt [?]	spoiled / spoilt [?]
spoon-feed	spoon-fed	spoon-fed
spread	spread	spread
spring	sprang / sprung	sprung
stand	stood	stood
steal	stole	stolen
stick	stuck	stuck
sting	stung	stung
stink	stunk / stank	stunk
strew	strewed	strewn / strewed
stride	strode	stridden
strike (delete)	struck	stricken
strike (hit)	struck	struck / stricken
string	strung	strung
strive	strove / strived	striven / strived
sublet	sublet	sublet
sunburn	sunburned / sunburnt [?]	sunburned / sunburnt [?]
swear	swore	sworn
sweat	sweat / sweated	sweat / sweated
sweep	swept	swept
swell	swelled	swollen / swelled
swim	swam	swum
swing	swung	swung
T
take	took	taken
teach	taught	taught
tear	tore	torn
telecast	telecast	telecast
tell	told	told
test-drive	test-drove	test-driven
test-fly	test-flew	test-flown
think	thought	thought
throw	threw	thrown
thrust	thrust	thrust
tread	trod	trodden / trod
typecast	typecast	typecast
typeset	typeset	typeset
typewrite	typewrote	typewritten
U
unbend	unbent	unbent
unbind	unbound	unbound
unclothe	unclothed / unclad [?]	unclothed / unclad [?]
underbid	underbid	underbid
undercut	undercut	undercut
underfeed	underfed	underfed
undergo	underwent	undergone
underlie	underlay	underlain
undersell	undersold	undersold
underspend	underspent	underspent
understand	understood	understood
undertake	undertook	undertaken
underwrite	underwrote	underwritten
undo	undid	undone
unfreeze	unfroze	unfrozen
unhang	unhung	unhung
unhide	unhid	unhidden
unknit	unknitted / unknit	unknitted / unknit
unlearn	unlearned / unlearnt [?]	unlearned / unlearnt [?]
unsew	unsewed	unsewn / unsewed
unsling	unslung	unslung
unspin	unspun	unspun
unstick	unstuck	unstuck
unstring	unstrung	unstrung
unweave	unwove / unweaved	unwoven / unweaved
unwind	unwound	unwound
uphold	upheld	upheld
upset	upset	upset
V
No commonly used irregular verbs beginning with “V.” To view our extended dictionary including rare and antiquated forms, Click Here.
W
wake	woke / waked	woken / waked
waylay	waylaid	waylaid
wear	wore	worn
weave	wove / weaved	woven / weaved
wed	wed / wedded	wed / wedded
weep	wept	wept
wet	wet / wetted [?]	wet / wetted [?]
whet REGULAR	whetted	whetted
win	won	won
wind	wound	wound
withdraw	withdrew	withdrawn
withhold	withheld	withheld
withstand	withstood	withstood
wring	wrung	wrung
write	wrote	written
X
No irregular verbs beginning with “X.”
Y
No irregular verbs beginning with “Y.”
Z
No irregular verbs beginning with “Z.”