The Past Continuous

How to form the Past Continuous?

Past form of the verb ‘to be’ + ing-form

AFFIRMATIVE

I was working

You were working

He/She/It was working

We were working

You were working

They were working

INTERROGATIVE/QUESTION

Was I working?

Were you working?

Was he/she/it working?

Were we working?

Were you working?

Were they working?

NEGATIVE

I was not/wasn’t working

You were not/weren’t working

He/She/It was not/wasn’t working

We were not/weren’t working

You were not/weren’t working

They were not/weren’t working

When to use the Past Continuous?

TO EXPRESS AN ACTION THAT WAS GOING ON AROUND A PARTICULAR

PAST TIME.

* What were you doing at 8 o’clock yesterday evening?

* When I got up this morning, the sun was shining.
* In 2004, while I was living in the United States, I was the happiest I’ve ever been.

TO EXPRESS AN ACTION THAT TAKES PLACE ALONGSIDE ANOTHER PAST

ACTION: THE PAST CONTINUOUS THEN EXPRESSES A LONGER
BACKGROUND ACTION, THE SIMPLE PAST IS THEN USED TO EXPRESS A
SHORTER ACTION, OR AN ACTION THAT HAPPENED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
LONGER ACTION, OR INTERRUPTED IT.

* As I was walking down the road, I saw Bill.

* The phone rang while I was having dinner.
* Mozart died while he was composing his most famous composition.

Exercises

a. Complete the following sentences by putting the verbs in brackets into the past
continuous tense.

1. The children were frightened, because it (to get) …………………………. dark.

2. It was a fine day and the roads were crowded because a lot of people (to rush)
………………………………… to the seaside.

3. The plane in which the Dutch Olympic team (to travel) ………………………………..
crashed soon after taking off.

4. He usually wears sandals, but when I last saw him, he (to wear) ………………………
boots.

5. My brother and I (to talk) …………………………….. about you the other day.

6. When I first saw him, he (to study) ……………………………… painting.

7. There was a strong smell and the sound of frying. Obviously, my mom (to cook)
……………………………………….. .

8. Tom ate nothing for lunch last month because (to diet) ………………………… .
He said that he (to try) ………………………………… to lose 10 kilos!

9. As she (to climb) ……………………………….. the ladder, it slid sideways and she
fell off it.

10. When I arrived at the meeting, the first speaker (to finish) ……………………….
his

talk and the audience (to nod) ……………………………………. approvingly.

b. Complete the following sentences by putting the verbs in brackets either into the past
continuous tense or in the simple past tense.

1. When I arrived in class, the lecture was already under way and the professor (to write)
………………………………………. on the blackboard.

2. I (to make) …………………………… a cake when the light went out. I had to finish
it in the dark.

3. I didn’t want to meet Paul. So when he entered the room, I (to leave)
……………………… .

4. He (to watch) ……………………….. TV when the phone rang. Quite annoyed,

he (to

turn) …………………………….. down the sound and (to go) ………………… to

answer it.

5. My great-grandfather was very polite. Whenever his wife entered the room, he

(to stand) ……………………… up.

6. Our dog (to walk) ……………………………….. along quietly, when our

neighbor’s

Pekinese suddenly attacked him!

7. I suddenly (to realize) ………………………….. that I (to go) ……………………….

in the wrong direction.

8. When I (to look) ……………………………. for my passport, I (to find)

……………………… my old photograph.

9. You looked very busy when I (to see) ………………………. you last night. What
you
(to do) ……………………………………………?

10. What you (to think) ……………………………… of his last book? I (to like)

…………………………….. it very much.

11. Our old bull normally (to not chase) …………………………………. people,
unless

something (to make) …………………………….. him angry. Unfortunately, as our

gardener (to cross) ………………………………… the field one day, his alarm clock (to

go) ……………………………… off.

12. When he (to wake) ……………………….. up, his wife (to sit)

……………………………. by the window. She (to look) ……………………………. at

something in the street, but when he (to ask) ………………………………. her about it,

she just (to smile) ……………………………….. and (to return)

……………………………. to bed.

13. The floor was covered with balls of wool. My aunt (to knit) ………………………….
something, no doubt.

14. When I (to arrive) ………………………… at the train station, Kathryn (to wait)

……………………………………….. for me. She (to wear)

…………………………….. a light-blue floral dress and (to look) ……………………….

very pretty. As soon as she (to see) …………………….. me, she (to wave)

…………………………. and (to shout) …………………………. something, but I

couldn’t hear what she (to say) ………………………………, because everyone around

me (to make) …………………………….. an awful lot of noise.

15. While he (to water) ……………………………. the flowers, it (to begin)

………………….. to rain. He (to put) ……………………. up his umbrella and (to go)
…………………………. on watering his precious flowers.