كان + المضارع
Use كان/كانت + a present-tense verb to describe an action that was already in progress in the past. It often gives background information before another event happens. You can reuse it in many stories and descriptions. Example: كان الأطفال يمشون حول البحيرة عندما بدأ المطر.
كان الأطفال يمشون حول البحيرة عندما بدأ المطر.
The children were walking around the lake when the rain started.
