Past Continuous Tense in English (Rules, Formula, Examples) PDF

Past Continuous Tense Rules, Formula & Examples (Download PDF) – Past Continuous tense indicates the continuing of action in the past time. So, we have given all types of examples like interrogative, affirmative, WH questions, and negative sentences with examples and rules To understand carefully, with this, you can easily understand them.

Now see how to make sentences for Past Continuous tense, what its examples, rules, and how to make them while making the sentence, so let’s start.

Past Continuous Tense Rules, Formula & Examples

First of all, we know the basic rules and formulas.

Formula –

• Affirmative – Sub + was/were + Verb (+ing) + Obj.
• Negative – Sub + was/were not + Verb (+ing) + Obj.
• Interrogative – Was/were + sub + Verb (+ing) + Obj.
• WH Questions – WH + was/were + sub + Verb (+ing) + Obj.

1. Affirmative Past Continuous Tense

Read the rules carefully given below:

• In the Past Continuous tense, we use was or were and 1^st form of the main verb with ing.
• When the subject is you, we, they, or some plural number, we use were.
• When the subject is I, he, she, it, or some singular number, we use was.

The formula for Affirmative sentences.

Sub + was/were + Verb (+ing) + Obj.

We have given below 15 examples of Affirmative sentences for Past Continuous Tense so that you can easily understand them.

Examples –

1. He was speaking very fast.
2. You were cleaning the utensils.
3. The meson was making the building.
4. We were revising our lesson.
5. The Boys were swimming in the river.
6. The goldsmith was making the ornaments.
7. I was writing an essay.
8. He was selling books.
9. I was sleeping in my room.
10. She was preparing tea.
11. I was playing football.
12. Peter was reading a book.
13. You were washing your clothes.
14. He was attending the class.
15. We were doing a good job.

2. Negative Past Continuous Tense

Read the rules carefully given below:

• In the Past Continuous tense (negative sentences), we put not between was/were and 1^st form of main verb + ing.
• When the subject is you, we, they, or some plural number, we use were not + 1st form of the main verb + ing.
• When the subject is I, he, she, it, or some singular number, we use was not + 1st form of the main verb + ing.

The formula for Negative sentences.

Sub + was/were not + Verb (+ing) + Obj.

We have given below 15 examples of negative sentences for Past Continuous Tense so that you can easily understand them.

Examples –

1. He was not speaking very fast.
2. You were not cleaning the utensils.
3. The meson was not making the building.
4. We were not revising our lesson.
5. The Boys were not swimming in the river.
6. The goldsmith was not making the ornaments.
7. I was not writing an essay.
8. He was not selling books.
9. I was not sleeping in my room.
10. She was not preparing tea.
11. I was not playing football.
12. Peter was not reading a book.
13. You were not washing your clothes.
14. He was not attending the class.
15. We were not doing a good job.

3. Past Continuous Tense Interrogative Sentences – Interro Negative Sentences

Read the rules carefully given below:

• In Past Continuous tense/interrogative sentences. The helping verb was or were is placed before the subject, and after the subject’s 1st form of the main verb + ing is used, and a question mark (?) is put at the end of the sentence.
• In Interro-negative sentences – first comes was or were and then the subject, after it not, and then the 1st form of the main verb + ing.

The formula for interrogative sentences.

Was/were + sub + Verb (+ing) + Obj.

We have given below 15 examples of interrogative sentences for Past Continuous Tense so that you can easily understand them.

Examples –

1. Was he speaking very fast?
2. Were you cleaning the utensils?
3. Was the meson making the building?
4. Were we revising our lesson?
5. Were the Boys swimming in the river?
6. Was the goldsmith making the ornaments?
7. Was I writing an essay?
8. Was he selling books?
9. Was I sleeping in my room?
10. Was she preparing tea?
11. Was I playing football?
12. Was Peter reading a book?
13. Were you washing your clothes?
14. Was he attending the class?
15. Were we doing a good job?

4.  WH-Questions in Past Continuous Tense

• WH – There are sentences whose answer requires more information. WH – are related, who, what when, why, where, how many, how.
• To form a WH-question, start with the WH-word, and then add was or were then Subject followed by the base form of the verb, and only then add the rest of the sentence.

The formula for WH-Questions.

WH + was/were + sub + Verb (+ing) + Obj.

We have given below 5 examples of WH-Questions sentences for Past Continuous Tense so that you can easily understand them.

Examples –

1. Why was he speaking very fast?
2. Where were you cleaning the utensils?
3. Who was making the building?
4. What were we revising for our lesson?
5. Where were the Boys swimming in the river?

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All these Past Continuous Tenses will help you to understand how to make sentences and when and where to use these kinds of tenses.

Read also –

• All Tenses Chart Rules with Examples
• Past Indefinite Tense
• Past Indefinite Tense Exercises