Past Continuous

Unit 2B
Form
Identical to the present continuous except that we use the past
form of the verb to be:
Was / were instead of am / is / are + gerund (-ing)
Compare

The children were doing their homework when I got home.

The children did their homework when (= after) I got home.

Use 1: At the beginning of a story
To set the scene and to say what was happening:

On 1st April, I was staying with some friends in the country. It was a
sunny day and we were having lunch in the garden.
Use 2: Actions in progress
Very often these ‘actions in progress’ (past continuous) are
‘interrupted’ by a short, completed action (past simple).

We were having lunch in the garden when suddenly it started to

rain.
When or while?
We can connect two actions with when or while:
When + past simple
- I was studying when the phone rang

While / when + past continuous

- I read it while / when you were drying your hair.