Verb Tenses

Past Continuous.

General Structure Was

(estaba jugando / estuve jugando)
+ Verb ING
Were

(+) (-) (?)

I I
He was playing wasn't playing Was he playing... ?
She she
It it

You you
We were playing weren't playing Were we playing... ?
They they

General Uses.
- Temporary past situations: Tom was working as a waiter until he found a better job.
We were living in a hotel while they finished the repairs.
- Changing situations in the past: The situation at work was getting stressful, so I left.
General discontent was growing fast after the crisis.
- Future arrangements in the past: I was nervous because the boss was arriving soon.
The holidays were getting near so we were happy.
- Description of a story background: The sun was shining and the birds were singing.
It was raining so hard that the park was deserted.
- Simultaneous past actions: While I was studying, my brother was playing the trumpet.
He was peeling the onions while I wascutting the carrots.
- Interrupted past actions: I was reading when, suddenly, I saw a face in the window.
What were you doing when I called you?
Susan was having a shower when her mobile phone rang.

This is the most frequent use of this tense. The interrupted action is in the Past Continuous,
and the interruption appears in the Past Simple.
When we entered the room, the children were watching TV.
They were sleeping when the bomb exploded.
She was driving home when the police stopped her.