English grammar
Was/were + -ing: the past continuous
Say what someone was doing at a point in the past.
From the scene What were you doing?
In short
For something in progress at a past moment, use was or were + verb-ing. In questions, were comes first.
Your turn
Which one goes with we / you / they: were?
Options: we were watching · What were you doing? (NOT "What you were doing?") · he was reading
Show answer
we / you / they: were → we were watching
How it works
For something in progress at a moment in the past, use was (I / he / she / it) or were (you / we / they) + verb-ing: I was sleeping, we were watching.
Your turn
Pick the word that fits the line.
A cooking one. Javi (blank) reading his messages.
Options: was · were · is
Show answer
A cooking one. Javi was reading his messages.
Uno de cocina. Javi estaba leyendo sus mensajes.
Good to know
Traps: never drop was/were ('I sleeping'), and in questions were comes before the subject: What were you doing?, NOT 'What you were doing?'
question: were + subject What were you doing? (NOT "What you were doing?")
Elena
Nuria, I'm investigating. What were you doing last night?
Nuria, estoy investigando. ¿Qué estabas haciendo anoche?
Your turn
What fills the gap?
Nuria, I'm investigating. (blank) last night?
Options: We were watching · He was reading · What were you doing
Show answer
Elena
Nuria, I'm investigating. What were you doing last night?
Nuria, estoy investigando. ¿Qué estabas haciendo anoche?
we / you / they: were we were watching
Nuria
With Javi. We were watching TV.
Con Javi. Estábamos viendo la tele.
Your turn
What fills the gap?
With Javi. (blank) TV.
Options: What were you doing · He was reading · We were watching
Show answer
Nuria
With Javi. We were watching TV.
Con Javi. Estábamos viendo la tele.
he / she / it: was he was reading
I: was I was sleeping (never "I sleeping")
Nuria
At midnight Javi had already gone. I was sleeping on the sofa!
A medianoche Javi ya no estaba. ¡Yo estaba durmiendo en el sofá!
Your turn
What fills the gap?
At midnight Javi had already gone. (blank) on the sofa!
Options: What were you doing · We were watching · I was sleeping
Show answer
Nuria
At midnight Javi had already gone. I was sleeping on the sofa!
A medianoche Javi ya no estaba. ¡Yo estaba durmiendo en el sofá!
Practise it in the story
Meet this rule inside a short animated scene. Answer as it plays, then say the lines yourself.
Practise free in the appSee all forms
| question: were + subject | What were you doing? (NOT "What you were doing?") |
|---|---|
| we / you / they: were | we were watching |
| he / she / it: was | he was reading |
| I: was | I was sleeping (never "I sleeping") |
More lines from the story
- NuriaA cooking one. Javi was reading his messages.Uno de cocina. Javi estaba leyendo sus mensajes.
- NuriaMe? I was at home, relaxing.¿Yo? Estaba en casa, tranquila.
- ElenaAnd what programme was it?¿Y qué programa era?