Writing with Tenses / Past Continuous
Past Continuous — Uses and Common Mistakes
Use the tense in a clear context and avoid common errors.
Major uses
Past snapshot: Dad was cooking at five.
Interruption: I was reading when the phone rang.
Parallel activities: While I was cooking, Maya was studying.
Common time expressions
at 5 p.m. yesterday, while, when, all evening
Common mistakes
They was playing. → They were playing.
She was read. → She was reading.
Grammar trick
Put a time in the past beside your picture: was/were + -ing.
Read a connected example
Yesterday at five, Dad was cooking. Cindy was reading. The children were studying. Meanwhile, the dog was sleeping.
TRY IT YOURSELF
A quick check
A wrong answer is a chance to learn. Use the hint and try again.