Past Continuous Structure

The past continuous is easy to form. We use the past of the verb "to
be" plus the verb in the ____ing form.

For example:

He was swimming in the river.

They were dancing when the police arrived.

Here is the verb write conjugated in the past continuous.

Past Continuous

Positive Negative Question

I was writing I wasn't writing Was I writing?

You were writing You weren't writing Were you writing?
He was writing He wasn't writing Was he writing?
She was writing She wasn't writing Was she writing?
It was writing It wasn't writing Was it writing?
We were writing We weren't writing Were we writing?
You were writing You weren't writing Were you writing?
They were writing They weren't writing Were they writing?

Past Continuous Use

The past continuous has two main uses:

To describe an event that was happening in the past at the time of

another event. Often the first event interrupts the second event. In this
situation, the event that started first is in the past continuous and
the second event is in the past simple:

I was watching TV when the telephone rang.

He left university while he was finishing his final year.

We can also use the past continuous to give the background to a

story. The events of this story are in the past simple.

He walked out of the bank with the gun. Police were

standing surrounding the bank. A large crowd were
watching events from the "Police" barricades. A helicopter was
flying overhead. He raised his gun to fire at the police
and..and..he woke up. It was 7am and time for work.

If there are two events that happen simultaneously, they can either be
in the past continuous or simple.

Mary was cutting the onions while I was cooking the beef.
Mary cut the onions while I cooked the beef.
 Grammar Exercise: Past Continuous -
Sentence Completion
Ex1 Complete the sentences using the correct endings from
the box. Use your mouse to drag the correct answers.

another driver drove past very quickly it started to rain heavily

the builders were working on the house the power went off
a car turned into my path I was driving too fast
I saw an accident happen I was feeding it
I was trying to print something I arrived home and I asked her why

1. When the accident happened...

2. I was driving near my house when...

3. She was singing her last song when...

4. The ceiling fell down while...

5. My team was losing the match when...

6. I fell off my bike when...

7. While the police officer was talking to me...

8. The bird attacked me while...

9. The computer exploded while...

10. My wife was crying when...

Ex2;Re-order these words to make Past Continuous sentences.

The first word in each sentence is "at".
 1. still / working / I / , / was / office / 4.30pm / . / at / my / in

2. my / , / something / to / was / I / 4.45pm / important / chatting / at /

boss / . / about

3. . / colleagues / all / to / , / was / I / 4.55pm / work / goodbye / at /

saying / my

4. 5.05pm / my / Street / at / was / driving / . / Maxwell / on / car / , / I

5. arriving / . / my / time / as / home / at / at / the / 5.20pm / , / I / wife /

was / same

6. with / a / my / family / spicy / , / Indian / dinner / eating / I / was / . /

8.30pm / at

7. horror / on / the / watching / at / 9.30pm / I / movie / a / was /

TV / , / .

8. getting / day / very / tiring / into / bed / at / after / 11pm / , / I / . /

was / a

Ex3;Match the numbered questions with the answers from the

box.

A. He was working in the garden.

B. He was talking to his boss about his promotion.

 C. He was wearing a blue prison uniform.

D. He was cycling to his mother's house.

E. She was traveling to work.

F. She was correcting the students' homework.

G. I was watching the afternoon movie.

H. I don't know, but I think he was going too fast.

1. What were you doing when the TV exploded?

2. Where was he going when his tire got a puncture?

3. Where was he when he found the abandoned kitten?

4. What was she doing on the bus when she found the wallet?

5. Who was he speaking to when he got the phone call from his wife?

6. What was the teacher doing when the fire alarm went off in the
school?

7. How fast was he driving when the accident happened?

8. What was the prisoner wearing when he escaped from the prison?

Ex4; Fill each gap with a verb in either the past simple or past
continuous tense.

1. Helen (do) her weekly shopping when she (meet) her old friend,
June.

2. The sun (shine) when I (get) up this morning. I (feel) so tired!

3. Jim (wait) at one airport while Max (wait) at the other. What a
disaster!

4. It (rain) very hard, so the referee (decide) not to play the match.

5. When the police (arrive) at the party, the music (play) very loud
and everybody (shout).

6. The mail (arrive) very late today. It (come) after eleven o'clock.

7. Joan (become) very angry this morning. She (speak) to an

important client and someone (enter) the room without knocking.

8. Hank (cook) in the kitchen. His sister (offer) to help but

Hank (refuse).

Ex5; at these sentences that use the past simple and past
continuous. Are they correct?
 1. When the phone rang during Bill's dinner, he was anwering the
phone.
Correct
Not Correct

2. All the students were listening to the professor's lecture very

carefully.
Correct
Not Correct

3. It rained when we left the apartment, so we took the umbrella.

Correct
Not Correct

4. Kathy was injuring her knee when we played tennis on Saturday.

Correct
Not Correct

5. What were you doing last night when I called you?

Correct
Not Correct

6. We arrived at the concert late. People danced and the band played
loudly.
Correct
Not Correct

7. Did it rain when you were on vacation?

Correct
Not Correct
8. What was the policeman doing when the accident was happening?
Correct
Not Correct

Ex6; Look at this journal entry that Cynthia has written. She uses
the past continuous a lot! Which sentences have mistakes?

1. I finally spoke to Darren today! I'm so happy.

Correct
Not Correct

2. I was leaving the school with Alice, then we were going to the ice
cream parlor on Grant Avenue.
Correct
Not Correct

3. We were seeing Darren outside.

Correct
Not Correct

4. He was talking to his friend, Steve.

Correct
Not Correct

5. I went inside with Alice but I know Darren was watching me.
Correct
Not Correct

6. I was being very excited.

Correct
Not Correct
7. We ate some chocolate ice-cream with walnuts - it's new and it was
tasting fabulous. I love ice-cream!!
Correct
Not Correct

8. Anyway, after 15 minutes or so, I was leaving the ice cream parlor
with Alice when Darren shouted to me.
Correct
Not Correct

9. He was still outside! We were walking over to them and it was

perfect.
Correct
Not Correct

10. Alice was talking to Steve and I was talking to Darren. He's
gorgeous!
Correct
Not Correct

11. I can't remember what we were talking about.

Correct
Not Correct

12. He was asking me if I want to go to watch the big baseball game

next weekend.
Correct
Not Correct
13. He's playing. I was saying "yes" (of course!) so I'll see him again.
Correct
Not Correct

14. Now I have to go and do my Biology assignment. Boring!!!!

Correct
Not Correct