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 of "stop":I was stoppingWe were stoppingYou were stoppingHe/she was stoppingThey were stopping
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.
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 of "stop":I was stoppingWe were stoppingYou were stoppingHe/she was stoppingThey were stopping
The past perfect progressive of investigate is had been investigating.
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.