Time expressions and adverbs that are used with the past continuous tense.
The past continuous tense is mainly used to emphasize that an action was in progress at a particular moment in the past. Past continuous tense is often used with specific time expressions that indicate an ongoing action in the past or an interruption.
Time Expressions
At 5 PM
At midnight / noon
At that moment
At that time
At that exact time
At that instant
At that very second
At the exact same time
All day / night / morning / afternoon / evening
For a while
For a long time
For a short time
For several minutes / hours / days / months / years
The entire day / night
The whole day / night / week / month
Throughout the day / night / week
While
As
Meanwhile
At the same time
In the meantime
During
When
Just as
Right when
Suddenly
The moment that
The second that
In those days
Back then
At that period of time
Earlier that day / week / month
During that time
Around that time
Before that moment
Always
Constantly
Continually
Repeatedly
Frequently
Regularly
Every time
Time after time
Again and again
Over and over
For hours on end
Nonstop
Every time I saw...
Whenever I looked...
Usage Examples
At 5 PM
・At 5 PM, I was watching TV.
At noon
・At noon, they were having lunch.
At that moment
・At that moment, he was talking to his boss.
At that time
・At that time, we were traveling to New York.
At that very second
・At that very second, they were crossing the street.
At the exact same time
・At the exact same time, two people were calling me.
All day
・All day, she was working on the project.
All morning
・All morning, I was waiting for the package.
For a long time
・For a long time, I was thinking about moving abroad.
For several days
・For several days, she was feeling sick.
The entire day
・The entire day, they were shopping at the mall.
The whole week
・The whole week, we were preparing for the wedding.
Throughout the night
・Throughout the night, it was raining heavily.
While
・While she was cooking, he was setting the table.
As
・As I was leaving, she was entering the room.
Meanwhile
・Meanwhile, the kids were playing in the backyard.
When
・When I was taking a shower, the phone rang.
Just as
・Just as we were leaving, it started to rain.
Right when
・Right when he was finishing his work, the power went out.
At that period of time
・At that period of time, he was studying in London.
Always
・He was always complaining about his job.
Nonstop
・Nonstop, she was talking about her vacation.
Every time
・Every time I saw him, he was wearing the same jacket.
Whenever
・Whenever I looked, the baby was smiling at me.