The past continuous tense is used to talk about actions that were happening at a specific moment in the past. When used in interrogative form, it helps us ask questions about what was going on at a certain time.
This guide contains 100 interrogative examples of the past continuous tense, presented in a clear, categorized format. It’s perfect for students, teachers, and English learners who want to improve their grammar skills with practical, everyday usage.
📚 What Is the Past Continuous Tense (Interrogative Form)?
The interrogative form of the past continuous is used to ask questions about actions that were in progress at a particular time in the past.
🔹 Structure:
Was/Were + Subject + Verb(-ing) + (Optional Object/Time)?
- Was she cooking?
- Were they playing football?
🔍 100 Interrogative Examples in Past Continuous Tense
🏠 Daily Life and Routine
- Were you brushing your teeth at 7 a.m.?
- Was he cleaning the room yesterday evening?
- Were they doing the laundry when you arrived?
- Was she cooking dinner when the power went out?
- Were you taking a shower when I called?
- Was your mom washing the dishes?
- Were your siblings watching cartoons?
- Were we leaving the house at that time?
- Was dad reading the newspaper at 9 o’clock?
- Were they setting the table for lunch?
🎓 School and Study
- Was she studying for the test last night?
- Were you paying attention in class?
- Were the students writing their assignments?
- Was he asking a question when the bell rang?
- Were you revising your notes at midnight?
- Were the kids taking a break when the teacher entered?
- Was she preparing for her presentation?
- Were we discussing the science project?
- Were they working on their group task?
- Was the principal giving a speech?
🛠️ Work and Office
- Were you working late last night?
- Was the manager checking the reports?
- Were they attending a meeting at 3 p.m.?
- Was he fixing the printer?
- Were the employees preparing the documents?
- Were we discussing the project deadlines?
- Was she handling the customer queries?
- Were you replying to emails?
- Was the team updating the database?
- Were they scheduling the appointments?
🌍 Travel and Movement
- Were you driving to the airport?
- Was she flying to Dubai at that time?
- Were they waiting at the train station?
- Was the bus moving when you got on?
- Were we heading to the hotel?
- Were you packing your bags last night?
- Was he walking to the store?
- Were they arriving when the gate closed?
- Was she looking for a taxi?
- Were you checking the flight details?
🏡 Home Activities
- Was he gardening in the backyard?
- Were you fixing the broken chair?
- Was she decorating the living room?
- Were the kids playing in the yard?
- Were you painting the wall?
- Was mom baking a cake?
- Were you rearranging the furniture?
- Was he vacuuming the floor?
- Were they organizing the closet?
- Was she mopping the kitchen?
📱 Technology and Devices
- Were you using your phone all night?
- Was he watching a video on YouTube?
- Were they playing video games?
- Was she scrolling through Instagram?
- Were you downloading the update?
- Was the app crashing repeatedly?
- Were you chatting with friends online?
- Were we updating the system?
- Was she recording a video?
- Were they streaming the match?
👫 Social and Family
- Were you talking to your cousin?
- Was she laughing at his joke?
- Were they arguing during dinner?
- Were we planning the family trip?
- Was he telling a story?
- Were the guests arriving?
- Was mom calling grandma?
- Were they celebrating a birthday?
- Was dad playing with the kids?
- Were you meeting your friends?
🎨 Hobbies and Free Time
- Were you drawing in your sketchbook?
- Was she writing a poem?
- Were they dancing to the music?
- Was he playing the guitar?
- Were you listening to the radio?
- Was she sewing a dress?
- Were they crafting decorations?
- Were we watching a documentary?
- Was he singing in the bathroom?
- Were you learning a new language?
🍽️ Eating and Drinking
- Were you eating breakfast at 8 a.m.?
- Was he drinking coffee?
- Were they having lunch when you arrived?
- Was she cooking pasta?
- Were we dining at the new restaurant?
- Were the children snacking before dinner?
- Were you ordering food online?
- Was dad grilling outside?
- Were you pouring juice?
- Was mom preparing a salad?
🕰️ Time and Events
- Were you sleeping at midnight?
- Was she dreaming?
- Were they getting ready for the event?
- Were you waiting for the bus at 6?
- Was it raining when you left?
- Were we leaving during the storm?
- Was the movie playing at 9 p.m.?
- Were they arriving on time?
- Was she running late?
- Were you celebrating New Year’s Eve?
✅ Conclusion
These 100 interrogative examples in past continuous tense offer a comprehensive look into how to form and use this structure in daily life. By practicing questions like these, English learners can strengthen both their grammar skills and spoken fluency.
Whether you’re studying for exams, teaching others, or improving your own English, these sample sentences are a useful resource you can return to anytime.
For better results, try creating your own questions using this same format. Practice leads to mastery!
