 past progressive tense past progressive tense is used to indicate that an action was in progress when another action occurred in the past past progressive was or were plus verb ing refers to the action in progress and simple past tense refers to the interrupting action while I was eating dinner the telephone rang the telephone rang while I was eating dinner when the telephone rang I was eating dinner I was eating dinner when the telephone rang past progressive tense can also be used to indicate only one action which occurred in the past what was John doing yesterday he was working at the factory what were they doing yesterday afternoon they were playing soccer what were you doing last night I was studying English