Past Progressive Tense

Past-progressive tense verbs express continuing actions that were happening at some point in the past or express a continuing past condition.

The past progressive tense is created with the auxiliary past tense

be (was, were) plus a present participle (verb with an ing ending).

I was studying for my exam last night.

We were beginning to think that you would not show up.

Before dinner, Maggie was playing her guitar.

John and Brian were being disruptive in class yesterday.

The above examples are in active voice. The examples below are in passive voice. Passive voice in the past progressive tense is created with the auxiliary past tense be (was,were) plus the present participle be (being) plus a past participle. To avoid wordiness, writers should limit the use of passive voice.

The idea that you would not show up was beginning to be thought by

us.

Before dinner, the guitar was being played by Maggie.

The other students in class were being disrupted by John and Brian

yesterday.

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