Past Continuous


Definition: It is used for actions and states that were unfinished at a certain time in the past or to stress the duration of something.




Form: [was/were + present participle]


Use: Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time.


Examples:

You were studying when she called.
Were you studying when she called?
You were not studying when she called.


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Credits:

http://www.usingenglish.com/glossary/past-continuous.html
http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/pastcontinuous.html