a past progressive is a part in grammar it has a formula which is (time phrase,subject,helping verb,action verb,then a finisher)
for example:
Last night I was checking the text messages on my phone.
(Last night) is the time phrase.
(I) is the subject.
(was) is a helping verb.
(checking) is the action verb
(the text messages on my phone) is the finisher.
There are two types:Past progressive tensePast perfect progressive tense
The past progressive tense of study is:I/He/She/It was studying.You/We/They were studying.
The past progressive of think is was/were thinking. The past perfect of see is had seen.
The past progressive tense is used to express action at a particular moment in the past. The past perfect progressive tense is used in a similar way but it expresses longer actions before another action in the past.
The past progressive of "stop":I was stoppingWe were stoppingYou were stoppingHe/she was stoppingThey were stopping
Past progressive tense.
The past progressive (past continuous) is "was visiting." (were visiting) The past perfect progressive is "had been visiting."
There are two types:Past progressive tensePast perfect progressive tense
The past progressive tense of study is:I/He/She/It was studying.You/We/They were studying.
The past progressive of think is was/were thinking. The past perfect of see is had seen.
the form of the past tense are past progressive,past perfect progressive,past perfect simple.
Was/were starting is the past progressive tense of start.
Present progressive, past progressive, and future progressive
Past simple - I laughed. Past progressive - I was laughing.
The past progressive tense is used to express action at a particular moment in the past. The past perfect progressive tense is used in a similar way but it expresses longer actions before another action in the past.
The past progressive of "stop":I was stoppingWe were stoppingYou were stoppingHe/she was stoppingThey were stopping
The past perfect progressive of investigate is had been investigating.