Was and were + -ing

To talk about something that was going on for a while in the past, we use 'was' or 'were' with an -ing word. Your book, Santoor, gives examples on page 61: long ago, Louis Braille was playing near his home; the cats were sleeping when I reached home; Sameer was playing hopscotch last evening.

Use WAS for one person, animal or bird, and with 'I': The student was writing. I was sleeping. Use WERE for more than one, and with 'we' and 'they': The students were writing. The dogs were barking.

To change now into the past, 'am' and 'is' become 'was', and 'are' becomes 'were'. I am sleeping becomes I was sleeping. The dogs are barking at the stranger becomes The dogs were barking at the stranger. Sheeba is writing a letter becomes Sheeba was writing a letter. We are playing kho-kho becomes We were playing kho-kho.

On pages 62 and 63 there is a picture story about Tarandeep. Here it is in words. Tarandeep was feeding her friends, the squirrels and the sparrows; she was scattering grains for them. Her grandmother was hanging out clothes to dry on a line. Grandmother was going back into the house when a strong wind began to blow. When she came back with the clothes pegs, the sparrows and squirrels were sitting on the clothes, so that they would not fall! Tarandeep was clapping her hands with joy.