i was coming

USAGE SUMMARY

'I was coming' is correctly and usable in written English.
You can use this sentence to express something that happened in the past. For example: "I was coming home from school when I saw my friend."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

I was coming!

The New York Times

I was coming down.

The Guardian - Music

That's where I was coming from.

The New Yorker

"He probably knew I was coming".

The New York Times

He had forgotten that I was coming.

Independent

"I was coming to hate white people".

The New York Times - Books

"I was coming up 17.

The Guardian

"Now I was coming home.

The Guardian

I was coming from a biochemistry background.

Cornell University

"Before, I was coming to the ball.

The New York Times - Sports

I was coming a long behind it.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Ensure the context is clear; indicate where you were coming from or going to for better understanding. E.g. "I was coming from the store" or "I was coming to your house".

Common error

Avoid using "i was coming" when you mean to say you had already arrived. Instead, use "I came" to indicate completion of the action.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "i was coming" functions as a verb phrase in the past continuous tense. Ludwig AI indicates it describes an action in progress at a specific point in the past. It indicates an ongoing process, not necessarily a completed one. For example, "I was coming home when I saw the accident."

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Academia

6%

Science

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

2%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "i was coming" is a very common and grammatically correct phrase in the past continuous tense. Ludwig AI highlights that it describes an action in progress at a specific point in the past, as evidenced by its frequent use in various contexts, particularly news and media. While its register is neutral, it's essential to avoid using it when you mean to say you had already arrived; instead, use "I came" to indicate completion. Explore alternative phrases like "I was arriving" or "I was on my way" to add nuance to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

i was arriving

Replaces "coming" with "arriving", emphasizing the act of reaching a destination.

i was on my way

Shifts the focus to the journey or process of traveling.

i was approaching

Indicates nearing a specific point or location.

i had been coming

Uses the past perfect continuous tense to emphasize the duration of the action before another point in the past.

i was heading there

Highlights the direction and intention of travel.

i was advancing

Suggests forward movement, possibly in a more formal or strategic context.

i was drawing near

Implies a gradual reduction in distance, creating a sense of anticipation.

i was en route

A more formal way of saying "i was on my way", often used in professional settings.

i was progressing

Emphasizes the continuous nature of the advancement.

i intended to come

Shifts the focus to the intention rather than the action itself.

FAQs

How can I use "i was coming" in a sentence?

Use "i was coming" to describe an action in progress in the past. For instance, "I was coming to the party, but I got delayed" shows an uncompleted action.

What's the difference between "i was coming" and "i came"?

"I was coming" describes an action in progress, while "I came" indicates the action is completed. If you want to express reaching destination instead, consider using the expression "i arrived".

What does "i was coming from" mean?

"I was coming from" indicates the place or situation you were departing from or your origin. For example, "I was coming from a meeting" implies you were leaving a meeting.

What can I say instead of "i was coming" if I want to emphasize the intention?

If you want to emphasize your intention, you can use phrases like "I intended to come", or "I was planning to come". Consider using expression "i was on my way" to highlight the process of traveling.