positive: I/He/She/It was working.
We/You/They were working.
negative: I/He/She/It wasn't working.
We/You/They weren't working.
interrogative: (How) Was I/he/she/it working?
(Why) Were we/you/they working?
Use:1.
An action that took place during a particular moment in the past (which might be specified or assumed):
I was writing my homework at this time yesterday.
What were you doing last night? I called you around 9 but you didn't pick up. Were you watching television?
The time at which the action is ongoing can be specified with an action in the past simple tense:
He was playing with the kids when I went in.
She lost her earrings while they were dancing.
2.
Two past parallel actions will both be in the past continuous:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHJi6flI79wxWRfpuEV5KyZh8nttULN-39jAid9BE_j8r52HVMRdqIK6iiCDz2PI-Iwt1AVkXqKuOaWi4xei8g3udCcsm9XoaoASfcXf6MA3PDpb848up3dDXdShTofDAv_9NJjw1FtI/s200/past+continuous+2.jpg)
It was raining while I was walking to work.
3.
Just like with the present, with past continuous tense:
a) you can express a temporary action:
I was living in Edinburgh at the time.
I didn't have to pay rent for a couple of months because I was staying with my parents.
b) you do not use state verbs:
She heard about the exhibition. (NOT She
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