In English, the Past Continuous tense is formed using the past tense of the verb "to be" (was/were) followed by the present participle form of the main verb (-ing form). Definition of the Past Continuous Tense. The Past Continuous tense represents an action or event that was in progress in the past. In English, the tense Past Progressive , also called Past Continuous tense, is used when referring to continuous actions in the past. This tense emphasizes the duration or permanence of an action in the past. Below, we'll take a closer look at the Past Progressive tense and explain the formation and use of this English tense with some example sentences. Continuous means in action, i.e. the action/event is or was or will be going on at a particular time. This article will help one understand the three different types of continuous tenses with examples. Table of Contents. Present Continuous Tense Examples; Past Continuous Tense Examples; Future Continuous Tense Examples; FAQs on Continuous Tense Present Tense; Past Tense; Future Tense; Each of the three above mentioned tenses can further be divided into subparts. These subparts include: Simple; Continuous; Perfect; Perfect Continuous; In this article, we shall discuss in detail the tenses rules for the above-mentioned types of verb tenses, followed by examples to explain them clearly. Past Tense Examples. The sample sentences below illustrate how to use the four types of past tenses described above: simple past, past progressive, past perfect, and past perfect progressive. Simple Past. I described my favorite plants and trees in science class. The sun set at 5:30 PM last night. Past Continuous 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. The formula for writing in the past continuous is: past form of 'to be' [was, were] + present participle. Examples: I was writing in my journal when the doorbell rang.; She was walking on the sidewalk when the man stepped in front of her.; We were celebrating when we heard the fireworks.; John was yelling at her when his mother interrupted.; Formula. In past continuous tense, we use pNEos3.

5 examples of past continuous tense