Grammar basics
Past continuous
Use the past continuous for an action that was in progress at a time in the past.
Structure
| Sentence | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | Subject + was/were + V-ing | I was coding when you called. |
| Negative | Subject + was/were + not + V-ing | I wasn't sleeping. |
| Question | Was/Were + subject + V-ing? | What were you doing at 9 p.m.? |
Use was with I, he, she, it, and were with you, we, they.
When to use
An action in progress at a time in the past
At 8 p.m. last night, I was studying English.
A long action that a short action interrupts
Use the past continuous for the long action and the past simple for the short one.
I was walking home when it started to rain.
Two actions happening at the same time
While I was cooking, my roommate was watching TV.
Thai speakers: ตอนที่...กำลัง
ตอนที่คุณโทรมา ฉันกำลังเขียนโค้ดอยู่ = I was coding when you called.
Time words
These words often go with the past continuous.
While
During the time that something is happening. It goes before the long action.
While I was reading, I learned five new words.
When
At the time that something happened. It often goes before the short action.
I was taking a shower when the doorbell rang.
At that time
At a time in the past that you already talked about.
I lived in Chiang Mai in 2019. At that time, I was working at a hotel.