FORM SPELLING RULES SIMULTANEOUS ACTIONS

AFFIRMATIVE We add –ing to the base form.  One syllable verbs ending in We can use this tense to talk about
Subject+ past of to be+ -ing Drink – drinking one consonant preceded by one two actions that were in progress at
form of the main verb. Play- playing vowel double the final consonant. the same time.
NEGATIVE Dream-dreaming Run- running While my mother was cooking
Subject+ negative of the verb Special cases: Sit – sitting lunch, my father was reading the
to be in the past+ -ing form of  Verbs ending in “e” omit “e”  Verbs ending in “ie” change newspaper.
the main verb. and then add –ing. to “y” and then add –ing. They were waiting at the station
INTERROGATIVE Live – living Lie - lying while their friends were looking for
Past of to be+subject+ -ing Come coming Dye - dying a taxi.
form of the main verb.

ACTION IN PROGRESS STATE VERBS TIME EXPRESSIONS

The past continuous is also Some verbs can’t be used in WHILE is very often used with
used to talk about an action progressive or continuous forms. this tense, but WHEN is also
that was in progress in the Some of these are: common:
past and was interrupted by Verbs of thinking: understand, While I was doing my homework
another past action. believe, know, remember. I heard a strange noise in the
The phone rang when I was Verbs of liking or disliking: like, kitchen or When I was doing my
having a shower. love, prefer, hate. homework I heard a strange
While we were walking home, Verbs of being and possession: noise in the kitchen.
it started to rain. be, own.

Complete the sentences using a suitable verb from the list in the Past
Simple or Past continuous.

READ WEAR CHASE BUY DRINK WORK DISCOVER SEE

1. Yesterday Lara met her friend Lisa when she _________________ her bike.
2. While Mary _________________ in her office, she ______________ a call
from her husband.
3. While the children _________________, their neighbour came to complain
about the noise.
4. While Lorna was waiting for her friend, her sister ___________ her face up.
5. On his way back home, Peter felt hungry and _____________ a hot dog.
6. While Lucy _______________, her coach timed her to check how fast she
could swim.
7. Yesterday Sarah _____________ a rare frog while she was looking for
insects.
8. Tina’s cat got hurt while it ______________ the neighbour’s dog.
9. Pam ____________ a lot of photos of Lisa while she _________________
her new dress.
10. When the children were watching TV, the light __________ out.
11. While Bob ____________ his car yesterday, he found something strange in
the engine.
12. Last week when Larry _____________ in the sea, he found a very valuable
treasure.
13. It _____________ to rain while the children ______________ in the park.
14. While Sue was looking at the sky through her telescope, she
_____________ a new star she had never seen before.
15. Martha _____________ her ankle while she was ice skating.
16. The teacher _______________ the lesson when the students ___________
something strange on the ceiling.
17. Dave ____________ the report while he _____________ for the bus.
18. While Tessa and Sheila ____________ coffee, they ____________ to go to
the cinema at the weekend.