The PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE

The PAST PROGRESSIVE TENSE indicates continuing action, something that was happening, going on, at some point in the past. This tense is formed with the helping "to be" verb, in the past tense, plus the present participle of the verb (with an -ing ending):

• I was riding my bike all day yesterday.
• Joel was being a terrible role model for his younger brother.

The past progressive indicates a limited duration of time and is thus a convenient way to indicate that something took place (in the simple past) while something else was happening:

• Carlos lost his watch while he was running.

The past progressive can express incomplete action.

• I was sleeping on the couch when Bertie smashed through the door.

(as opposed to the simple past, which suggests a completed action:

• I slept on the couch last night.

The past progressive is also used to poke fun at or criticize an action that is sporadic but habitual in nature:

• Tashonda was always handing in late papers.
• My father was always lecturing my brother.

Generally, progressive forms occur only with what are called dynamic verbs and not with stative verbs. If you wish to review that concept now, click HERE.

Singular	Plural
I was walking	we were walking
you were walking	you were walking
he/she/it was walking	they were walking

Singular	Plural
I was sleeping	we were sleeping
you were sleeping	you were sleeping
he/she/it was sleeping	they were sleeping

Singular	Plural
I was being	we were being
you were being	you were being
he/she/it was being	they were being

Dad was working in his garden all morning.
During the mid-50s, real estate speculators were buying all the swampland in Central Florida, and innocent people were investing all their money in bogus development projects.
Was he being good to you?