O que é o past continuous?

O past continuous (passado contínuo, em português) também é conhecido

como past progressive (passado progressivo) e se refere a ações contínuas
que estiveram acontecendo em algum momento no passado.
Quando e como usar o past continuous?
O past continuous deve ser utilizado para se referir a uma ação que estava
em andamento no passado. Por exemplo, quando queremos falar coisas
como:
 She was working yesterday. –  Ela estava trabalhando ontem.
 I was playing on the weekend.  – Eu estava jogando no final de
semana.
 They were talking at the restaurant.  – Eles estavam conversando
no restaurante.
Perceba que sempre quando formos usar o past continuous, iremos usar o
verbo be no passado e o próximo verbo com -ing, sendo essas as únicas
regras do past continuous.
Regras de formação do Past Continuous
O Past Continuous é formado pela união do verbo auxilar to be conjugado
no Simple  Past (Passado Simples) + gerúndio (-ing acrescido a um verbo
principal).
As flexões do verbo to be no Simple Past são was  e were.
Was  é usado com a primeira pessoa do singular (I)  e com a terceira pessoa do
singular (he, she  e it), e were é usado com as demais pessoas verbais
(you, we  e they).
Confira abaixo a conjugação completa do verbo to be no Simple Past.
was I was not/ I wasn't Was I...?

You were You were not/ You weren't Were you...?

He was He was not/ He wasn't Was he...?

She was She was not/ She wasn't Was she...?

It was It was not/ It wasn't Was it...?

We were We were not/ We weren't Were we...?

You were You were not/ You weren't Were you...?

They They were not/ They Were

were weren't they...?