Use was/were + -ing for something that was in progress at a time in the past. It had started, and it had not yet finished.
A In the middle of something, in the past
It is 8 o'clock in the evening. Owen is at home. He is cooking his tea.
At 6 o'clock he was not at home. He was at the pool. He was swimming. He was not cooking, which is just as well, because he was in the water.
He started swimming at 5.30 and stopped at 6.30. At 6 o'clock he was in the middle of it.
| 5.30 | 6.00 | 6.30 |
|---|---|---|
| he started swimming | he was swimming | he stopped swimming |
- At 6 o'clock Owen was at the pool.
- He was swimming.
- He wasn't cooking.
B The form: was/were + -ing
was/were + -ing is the past continuous.
| positive | negative | question | |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / he / she / it | was working | was not (wasn't) working | was I / he / she / it working? |
| we / you / they | were working | were not (weren't) working | were we / you / they working? |
Spelling: live → living, run → running, lie → lying.
- What were you doing at half past ten last night? Were you studying?
- "What did the driver say?" "No idea. I wasn't listening."
- It was snowing, so we stayed in.
- In 2015 my sister was living in Glasgow.
- Today he's wearing a suit, but yesterday he was wearing shorts.
- I got up early on Sunday. It was a lovely morning. The sun was coming up and the birds were singing.
C am/is/are + -ing becomes was/were + -ing
The present continuous is am/is/are + -ing. Move it into the past and it becomes was/were + -ing.
| present (now) | past |
|---|---|
| I'm working. | I was working at 11 o'clock last night. |
| It isn't snowing. | It wasn't snowing when we left. |
| What are you doing? | What were you doing at four o'clock? |
- I'm reading. / I was reading when you rang.
- They aren't playing. / They weren't playing at the time.
- Where are you going? / Where were you going when I saw you?
Exercises
13.1 Where were these people at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and what were they doing? Write two sentences for each one. For number 6, write about yourself.
At 3 o'clock yesterday Bev was at the library, reading a newspaper.
Bev (the library / read a newspaper)
Bev was at the library. She was reading a newspaper.
Bev was at the library. She was reading a newspaper.
At 3 o'clock yesterday Dan and Priya were at the swimming pool, in the water.
Dan and Priya (the swimming pool / swim)
Dan and Priya were at the swimming pool. They were swimming.
At 3 o'clock yesterday Gareth was in his van on the motorway, at the wheel.
Gareth (his van / drive)
Gareth was in his van. He was driving.
At 3 o'clock yesterday Shona was standing at the bus stop, looking down the road for the number 42.
Shona (the bus stop / wait for a bus)
Shona was at the bus stop. She was waiting for a bus.
At 3 o'clock yesterday Mr and Mrs Okafor were on the beach, walking along by the sea.
Mr and Mrs Okafor (the beach / walk)
Mr and Mrs Okafor were on the beach. They were walking.
And you? Where were you at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon? What were you doing?
I was at work. I was answering emails.
13.2 Nadia was very busy yesterday morning. This is what she did: 8.00 to 8.20, yoga; 8.30 to 9.15, walking the dog; 9.30 to 10.00, ironing her shirts; 10.15 to 11.00, painting the fence; 11.30 to 12.00, swimming; 12.30 to 1.00, making lunch. Complete the sentences.
At 9.45 she was ironing her shirts.
At 9.45 she was ironing her shirts.
At 11.45 she .
At 11.45 she was swimming.
At 9 o'clock .
At 9 o'clock she was walking the dog.
At 12.50 .
At 12.50 she was making lunch.
At 8.15 .
At 8.15 she was doing yoga.
At 10.30 .
At 10.30 she was painting the fence.
13.3 Complete the questions with was/were + -ing. Use what, where or why where the answer requires it.
(you / work) Where were you working in 2019? In a bakery in Hull.
Where were you working in 2019? In a bakery in Hull.
(you / do) at midnight? I was watching a film.
What were you doing at midnight? I was watching a film.
(it / snow) when you left the house? No, it was just cold.
Was it snowing when you left the house? No, it was just cold.
(Kieran / shout) at the referee? Because he was angry about the penalty.
Why was Kieran shouting at the referee? Because he was angry about the penalty.
(your mum / wear) her glasses? No, she'd left them at home.
Was your mum wearing her glasses? No, she'd left them at home.
13.4 You saw Megan at the coach station yesterday evening. What was she doing? Write positive or negative sentences.
Megan is standing at the coach station. She has a rucksack on her back and headphones on. She is eating a bag of crisps. She has a scarf round her neck but no coat. It is not raining. She says to a friend: "I'm off to Whitby for the weekend!"
(wear / a coat)
She wasn't wearing a coat.
She wasn't wearing a coat.
(carry / a rucksack)
She was carrying a rucksack.
(go / to work)
She wasn't going to work.
(eat / crisps)
She was eating crisps.
(hold / an umbrella)
She wasn't holding an umbrella.
(go / away for the weekend)
She was going away for the weekend.
(wear / a scarf)
She was wearing a scarf.
(listen / to music)
She was listening to music.