Past Continuous — I Was Doing
In Progress · vs Past Simple · While/When · Stative Verbs
Passé Continu — I Was Doing
En cours · vs Passé Simple · While/When · Verbes Statifs
Master the past continuous: how to form it, what it means, how to combine it with the past simple using when and while, and the verbs that can never be continuous
Maîtrisez le passé continu : comment le former, ce qu'il signifie, comment le combiner avec le passé simple en utilisant when et while, et les verbes qui ne peuvent jamais être continus
In Unit 5 we learnt the past simple for completed actions. The past continuous (I was doing) is different — it describes an action that was already in progress at a certain past time; it had started but had not finished. The most important use is combining it with the past simple: a long background action (continuous) + a short interrupting event (simple).
Dans l'unité 5, nous avons appris le passé simple pour les actions terminées. Le passé continu (I was doing) est différent — il décrit une action qui était déjà en cours à un moment passé précis ; elle avait commencé mais n'était pas terminée. L'usage le plus important est de le combiner avec le passé simple : une longue action de fond (continu) + un événement court qui l'interrompt (simple).
Form — Was / Were + -ing
Forme — Was / Were + -ing
The past continuous is formed with was/were + the -ing form of the verb. Use was with I/he/she/it and were with we/you/they.
Le passé continu se forme avec was/were + la forme -ing du verbe. Utilisez was avec I/he/she/it et were avec we/you/they.
I / we / you / they → were + -ing · I was doing · we were sitting · they were talking
Negative: wasn't / weren't + -ing · Question: Was he…? / Were they…?
Meaning — In the Middle of an Action at a Past Time
Sens — Au milieu d'une action à un moment passé
I was doing something = I was in the middle of doing it at a certain time. The action started before that time and had not finished.
I was doing something = j'étais au milieu de cette action à un certain moment. L'action avait commencé avant ce moment et n'était pas terminée.
Past Continuous vs Past Simple — In Progress vs Complete
Passé Continu vs Passé Simple — En cours vs Terminé
The key difference: past continuous = in the middle of an action (not complete). Past simple = complete action.
La différence clé : passé continu = au milieu d'une action (pas terminée). Passé simple = action terminée.
Past continuous — in progress
Passé continu — en cours
Past simple — complete
Passé simple — terminé
One Thing Happened IN the Middle of Another — When / While
Une chose s'est passée AU MILIEU d'une autre — When / While
Use the past continuous for the background action (longer, in progress) and the past simple for the event that happened inside it (shorter, complete). While introduces the continuous action; when often introduces the interruption.
Utilisez le passé continu pour l'action de fond (plus longue, en cours) et le passé simple pour l'événement qui s'est produit à l'intérieur (plus court, terminé). While introduit l'action continue ; when introduit souvent l'interruption.
Stative Verbs — No Past Continuous
Verbes Statifs — Pas de Passé Continu
Some verbs (like know, want, need, believe, understand) are never used in continuous forms — not in the present continuous and not in the past continuous either. See Unit 4 for the full list.
Certains verbes (comme know, want, need, believe, understand) ne s'utilisent jamais aux formes continues — ni au présent continu ni au passé continu. Voir l'unité 4 pour la liste complète.
I was enjoying the party, but Chris wanted to go home. (not: was wanting)
Exercise 1 — Choose the correct past continuous form
Exercice 1 — Choisissez la bonne forme du passé continu
Complete each sentence with the correct form from the box.
Complétez chaque phrase avec la bonne forme de l'encadré.
Exercise 2 — Match the sentence halves
Exercice 2 — Associez les deux moitiés de phrase
Match each beginning (1–7) with the correct ending (a–g). Write the letter.
Associez chaque début de phrase (1–7) avec la bonne fin (a–g). Écrivez la lettre.
Exercise 3 — Past continuous or past simple? (two stories)
Exercice 3 — Passé continu ou passé simple ? (deux histoires)
Put the verb into the correct form.
Mettez le verbe à la bonne forme.
Story 1 — Sue in town
Histoire 1 — Sue en ville
Story 2 — The cyclist
Histoire 2 — Le cycliste
Exercise 4 — Mixed: past continuous or past simple?
Exercice 4 — Mixte : passé continu ou passé simple ?
Put the verb into the correct form. Context decides which tense to use.
Mettez le verbe à la bonne forme. Le contexte détermine quel temps utiliser.
Frequently Asked Questions — Past Continuous
Questions fréquentes — Passé Continu
I was doing = I was in the middle of the action at a specific past time — it had started but had not finished. I did = the action is complete. Compare: We were walking home (we hadn't arrived yet — in the middle) vs We walked home (the whole journey was completed).
I was doing = j'étais au milieu de l'action à un moment passé précis — elle avait commencé mais n'était pas terminée. I did = l'action est terminée.
While is typically used to introduce the longer background action (past continuous): While I was cooking, the phone rang. When typically introduces the shorter interrupting event (past simple): I was cooking when the phone rang. Both sentences mean the same thing — the choice of conjunction determines which clause uses which tense.
While introduit généralement l'action de fond plus longue (passé continu). When introduit généralement l'événement court qui interrompt (passé simple). Les deux conjonctions peuvent être interchangées si l'on change les temps en conséquence.
When Karen arrived, we were having dinner = the dinner had already started before she arrived — she arrived in the middle of it. When Karen arrived, we had dinner = Karen arrived first, and then we had dinner — two events in sequence, both completed. The second sentence means Karen's arrival triggered the dinner.
When Karen arrived, we were having dinner = le dîner avait déjà commencé avant son arrivée. When Karen arrived, we had dinner = Karen est arrivée, et ensuite nous avons dîné — deux événements en séquence.
No. Verbs like know, want, need, understand, believe, remember, belong, contain are stative — they describe states, not actions, so they can never be used in continuous forms. Instead of "I was knowing", say I knew. Instead of "he was wanting", say he wanted. The rule is the same as for the present continuous (Unit 4).
Non. Les verbes comme know, want, need, understand, believe sont statifs — ils décrivent des états, pas des actions. Dites I knew (jamais "I was knowing"), he wanted (jamais "he was wanting"). La règle est la même que pour le présent continu (Unité 4).
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