〜ていた
〜ていた means was doing; had been in a state. It is a JLPT N4 grammar point. This is the past form of 「ている」 and shows that an action was in progress at a past time. It can also describe a state that continued in the past. It is also used for habits or living situations that lasted for some time.
Japanese sources describe it as 「前にしていた、前からその状態だった」.
〜ていた examples
昨日の夜、テレビを見ていました。
I was watching TV last night.
子どもの時、ここに住んでいました。
I lived here when I was a child.
〜ていた exercises
Pick what belongs in the parentheses. The answer is marked below.
九時ごろ、私は本を読ん（ ）。
- でいきます
- でいました ✓
- でください
- でいます
Around nine o'clock, I was reading a book.
去年、兄は東京に住ん（ ）。
- でみました
- でしまいました
- でいました ✓
- でもらいました
My older brother lived in Tokyo last year.
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