What was happening ...?
Past Continuous
Use the past continuous to express what was occurring at a precise moment in the past. The past continuous is often used together with the simple past to express an interrupted action. The action which was interrupted is expressed using the past continuous, while the action which caused the interruption takes the past simple.
Positive Form:
Subject + to be + verb + ing + objects
The operators were going to work on the raw materials when the alarm went off.Negative Form:
Subject + to be + not + verb + ing + objects
The endorser wasn't doing anything when you called.Question Form:
Wh? + to be + subject + verb + ing?
What were you doing when the raw materials arrived?
NOTE: The past continuous is often used together with the simple past to express an interrupted action. The action which was interrupted is expressed using the past continuous, while the action which caused the interruption takes the past simple.
What were you doing when the raw materials arrived? Company A was eyeing a hostile takeover of Company B when the government intervened.The operators were going to work on the raw materials when the alarm went off. Who was the endorser talking to while she was signing the check?