Answer:
The phone rang once Detective Banks <u>was writing</u> a report at the time and he was not happy about the interruption.
Banks <u>was driving</u> his car through the rainy streets of the city.
It <u>was getting</u> dark and the streets were busy.
People <u>were doing</u> Christmas shopping.
The pathologist <u>was waiting</u> for him.
Two police officers <u>were inspecting</u> the scene and others <u>were taking</u> pictures.
Sergeant Mullins <u>was sitting</u> in the patrol car.
He <u>was drinking</u> a cup of coffee.
When he saw Banks, he <u>was lying</u> on the ground got out and followed him down the alley.
Explanation:
The past progressive tense (also called the past continuous tense) is one of the tenses used to talk about events that took place in the past. Unlike the past simple tense, it refers to a continuing action or state.
It's formed with the past form of the verb <em>to be</em> (<em>was/were</em>) and the present participle (root + -ing) form of the verb (e.g. <em>Banks </em><u><em>was driving</em></u>...)
