Negative Sentences and Questions with Past Continuous
The past continuous tense talks about actions that were happening at a specific time in the past. To make negative sentences and questions, we use the auxiliary verb 'was' or 'were' with 'not' and the -ing form of the main verb. This lesson shows you how to form these correctly.
Negative Forms and Question Forms by Subject
| Pronoun | Positive | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | I was working | I was not (wasn't) working | Was I working? |
| you | you were working | you were not (weren't) working | Were you working? |
| he / she / it | he was working | he was not (wasn't) working | Was he working? |
| we | we were working | we were not (weren't) working | Were we working? |
| you (plural) | you were working | you were not (weren't) working | Were you working? |
| they | they were working | they were not (weren't) working | Were they working? |
Notes:
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Formula
✖ Negative
Subject
+
was/were
+
not
+
verb + -ing
I was not watching TV when you called.
? Question
Was/Were
+
Subject
+
verb + -ing
Were you studying when the storm started?
Examples
I was not sleeping when the phone rang.
Negative sentence · A2
They were not playing football because of the rain.
Negative sentence · A2
Was he working on his homework last night?
Yes/No question · A2
Were you listening to music when I arrived?
Yes/No question · A2
What were they building in the garden?
Wh- question · A2
Where was she going when you saw her?
Wh- question · A2
When to use it
Denying an action
Use negative past continuous to say an action was not happening at a specific time in the past.
"I was not texting in class. I was taking notes."
Asking about past actions
Use questions to find out what someone was doing at a specific time in the past.
"Were you studying for the exam yesterday?"
Asking for details
Use Wh- questions to get specific information about past activities.
"What were you doing when the accident happened?"
Signal words
was not
were not
wasn't
weren't
Was
Were
What
Where
Why
Who
When
Which
Common Mistakes
✕
Wrong
I was not work when you came.
✓
Correct
I was not working when you came.
Use the -ing form of the verb, not the base form.
✕
Wrong
Were you sleep when it happened?
✓
Correct
Were you sleeping when it happened?
Add -ing to the main verb to form the past continuous.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
What to Remember
- Use was or were with not to form past continuous negatives.
- Add the -ing form of the main verb after was/were not.
- Form questions by putting was or were before the subject.
- Remember: I was, he/she/it was, you/we/they were in past continuous.
- Don't forget the -ing ending on the main verb in all forms.