We make the past continuous tense by putting was or were before the –ing form of the verb.

Study the examples given below:

He was writing a letter.
She was waiting for them.
I was reading the newspaper.
They were playing in the garden.

We use was with singular nouns and singular pronouns (I, he, she, it).

We use were with plural nouns and plural pronouns (they, we, you).

The past continuous tense is used to denote an action that was going on at another point of time in the past.

I was reading when the lights went out.
They were playing cards when the police caught them.
We were sleeping when the guests arrived.
They were praying at the mosque when they heard the explosion.
He was returning home late when a dog bit him.

Complete the following sentences using an appropriate simple past or past continuous tense.

1. She …………….. college last year.

a) left
b) was leaving
c) had left

2. I ………………… a letter when I heard a knock on the door.

a) wrote
b) was writing

3. I …………………. six letters in the morning.

a) wrote
b) was writing

4. He …………….. for a walk every morning.

a) went
b) was going

5. She ………………… when I found her.

a) cried
b) was crying
c) Either could be used here

Answers

1. She left college last year.

2. I was writing a letter when I heard a knock on the door.

3. I wrote six letters in the morning.

4. He went for a walk every morning.

5. She was crying when I found her. / She cried when I found her.