The Past Continuous Tense
The Past Continuous is used to describe:
- past action in progress at a given point in time: She was still working at eight o’clock yesterday evening.
- past action in progress interrupted by another past action: She was leaving when the phone rang.
- simultaneous past actions: While Jane was getting dressed, Tom was enjoying his drink.
Time expressions:
- at 3 o’clock yesterday
- while
- all morning
- the whole day
- from 6 till 7
Past Continuous and Past Simple
- We often use the Past Continuous with the Past Simple. We use the Past Simple for a short/complete action: I broke my leg.
- We use the Past Continuous for a longer activity in progress in the past: I was playing football.
- Before the Past Continuous we often use when or while: While I was playing football, I broke my leg. I broke my leg when I was playing football.
- Before the Past Simple we normally use when: What were you doing when the accident happened?
Exercise 1. Use the verbs in brackets in the Present Continuous or Past Continuous.
- I (to write) an English exercise now.
- I (to write) an English exercise at this time yesterday.
- My little sister (to sleep) now.
- My little sister (to sleep) at this time yesterday.
- My friends (not to do) their homework now. They (to play) volleyball.
- My friends (not to do) their homework at seven o’clock yesterday. They (to play) volleyball.
- She (to read) the whole evening yesterday.
- She (not to read) now. She (to go) to school.
- What you (to do) now? — I (to drink) tea.
- You (to drink) tea at this time yesterday? — No, I (not to drink) tea at this time yesterday, I (to eat) a banana.
- My sister is fond of reading. She (to read) the whole evening yesterday, and now she (to read) again.
- Look! My cat (to play) with a ball.
- When I went out into the garden, the sun (to shine) and birds (to sing) in the trees.
- You (to eat) ice cream now?
- You (to eat) ice cream when I rang you up yesterday?
- What your father (to do) now?
- What your father (to do) from eight till nine yesterday?
- Why she (to cry) now? Why she (to cry) when I saw her yesterday?
Exercise 2. Use the verbs in brackets in the Past Simple or Past Continuous Tense.
- I (to go) to the cinema yesterday.
- I (to go) to the cinema at four o’clock yesterday.
- I (to go) to the cinema when you met me.
- I (to do) my homework the whole evening yesterday.
- I (to do) my homework when mother came home.
- I (to do) my homework yesterday.
- I (to do) my homework from five till eight yesterday.
- I (to do) my homework at six o’clock yesterday.
- I (not to play) the piano yesterday. I (to write) a letter to my friend.
- I (not to play) the piano at four o’clock yesterday. I (to read) a book.
- He (not to sleep) when father came home. He (to do) his homework.
- When I (to go) to school the day before yesterday, I met Mike and Pete. They (to talk) and (to laugh). They told me a funny story. Soon I (to laugh), too. I still (to laugh) when we came to school. After school I (to tell) this story at home. My father and mother (to like) it very much.
- When we were in the country last summer, I (to go) to the wood one day. In the wood I (to find) a little fox cub. I (to bring) it home. I (to decide) to tame the cub. Every day I (to feed) it and (to take) care of it. I (to tame) it the whole summer. Now the fox cub is quite tame. It lives in my house.
- I (to play) computer games yesterday.
- I (to play) computer games at five o’clock yesterday.
- He (to play) computer games from two till three yesterday.
- We (to play) computer games the whole evening yesterday.
- My brother (not to play) tennis yesterday. He (to play) tennis the day before yesterday.
- My sister (not to play) the piano at four o’clock yesterday. She (to play) the piano the whole evening.
- . When I came into the kitchen, my mother (to cook). She (to cook) the whole day yesterday.
- We (to wash) the floor in our flat yesterday. We (to wash) the floor in our flat from three till four yesterday.
- You (to do) your homework yesterday?
- You (to do) your homework from eight till ten yesterday?
- Why she (to sleep) at seven o’clock yesterday?
- He (to sit) at the table the whole evening yesterday.
- What Nick (to do) when you came to his place?
- What you (to do) when I rang you up?
- I (not to sleep) at nine o’clock yesterday.
- What he (to do) yesterday? — He (toread) a book.
- What he (to do) the whole evening yesterday? — He (to read) a book.
Compare these sentences:
- When mother came home, I was reading.
- When mother was reading, I came home.
Exercise 3. Use the verbs in brackets in the Past Simple or Past Continuous.
- When I (to come) home, my little sister (to sleep).
- When Nick (to come) home, his brother (to play) with his toys.
- When mother (to come) home, I (to do) my homework.
- When father (to come) home, Pete (to sleep).
- When mother (to come) home, the children (to play) on the carpet.
- When I (to get) up, my mother and father (to drink) tea.
- When I (to come) to my friend’s place, he (to watch) TV.
- When I (to see) my friends, they (to play) football.
- When I (to open) the door, the cat (to sit) on the table.
- When Kate (to open) the door, the children (to dance) round the Christmas tree.
- When Tom (to cross) the street, he (to fall)
- When I (to go) to school, I (to meet) my friend.
- When we (to go) to the cinema, we (to meet) our grandmother.
- When grandmother (to go) home, she (to see) many children in the yard.
- When Henry (to walk) about in the forest, he (to find) a bear cub.
- When we (to walk) about in the forest, we (to see) a hare.
- When I (to wash) the floor, I (to find) my old toy under the sofa.
- When granny (to read) a book on the sofa, she (to fall) asleep.
- When I (to play) in the yard, I suddenly (to see) my old friend.
- When Nick (to run) about in the yard, he (to fall).
- The girl (to cook) dinner when the lights (to go) out. She (to burn) herself.
- The boy (to hurt) himself while he (to skate).
- When the woman (to enter) the room, the children (to feed) the goldfish.
- When I (to visit) my friends in Denmark, I (to buy) two presents for my family.
- When it (to start) to rain, we (to bathe) in the river.
- Yesterday at one o’clock I (to have) lunch at the canteen.
- When he (to come) in, I (to do) my exercises.
- What you (to do) at eight o’clock yesterday?
- At this time yesterday I (to go) home.
- You (to sleep) when I (to go) out.
- He (to read) on the sofa when I (to come) in and (to sit) down beside him.
- I (to walk) along the street with my friend when a tram (to pass).
- She (to look) out of the window when I (to see) her.
- We (to answer) the teacher’s questions when the headmistress (to enter) the classroom.
- They (to drink) tea when I (to come) home.
- He (to walk) along the river when a boat (to pass).
- The old man (to think) about his plan when he (to fall) asleep.
- We (to listen) to an interesting lecture yesterday.
- When I (to enter) the classroom, the teacher (to write) words on the blackboard and the pupils (to copy) them into their exercise books.
- They (to get) ready to go out when it (to begin) raining.
Exercise 4. Use the verbs in brackets in the Past Simple or Past Continuous.
- I (to go) to the theatre yesterday. At seven o’clock yesterday I (to go) to the theatre.
- What you (to do) at 5 o’clock yesterday? — I (to play) the piano.
- When I (to come) to school, the children (to stand) near the classroom.
- We (to play) in the yard the whole evening yesterday.
- When I (to prepare) breakfast in the morning, I (to cut) my finger.
- Last year I (to go) to the United States.
- You (to go) to Great Britain last year? — No, I (to go) to France.
- What you (to do) yesterday? — I (to translate) a very long article.
- When I (to ring) up my friend, he (to sleep).
- When grandfather (to watch) TV, he (to fall) asleep.
- When my friend (to come) to see me, I (to do) my homework.
- When I (to go) to the stadium, I (to meet) Kate and Ann.
- When Nick (to call) me yesterday, I (to help) mother.
- When the children (to walk) through the wood, they (to see) a fox.
- When I (to come) home, my sister (to wash) the floor.
- When Mike (to play) in the yard, he (to find) a ball.
- When I (to draw) yesterday, I (to break) two pencils.
- When I (to meet) Tom, he (to go) to the shop.
- When I (to look) out of the window, the children (to play) hide-and-seek.
Exercise 5. Use the verbs in brackets in Past Simple or Past Continuous Tenses.
Pay attention to these sentences:
- Father was reading at 7 o’clock yesterday. (the action is in progress – Past Continuous)
- Father came home at 7 o’clock yesterday. (completed action – Past Simple)
- Father (to watch) TV at ten o’clock yesterday.
- I (to go) to bed at nine o’clock yesterday.
- I (to finish) my homework at nine o’clock yesterday.
- I (to play) the piano at five o’clock yesterday.
- He (to begin) to do his homework at four o’clock yesterday.
- She (to wash) the floor at four o’clock yesterday.
- I (to meet) Nick at three o’clock yesterday.
- When I (to come) home, Kate (to play) the piano.
- They (to play) in the yard in the evening yesterday.
- They (to play) in the yard the whole evening yesterday.
- I (to clean) my teeth at eight o’clock in the morning yesterday.
- We (to go) to the wood in summer.
- When the teacher (to open) the door of the classroom, the students (to sit) at their desks.
- He (to get) up at seven o’clock yesterday.
- Father (to come) home at six o’clock yesterday.
- I (to read) a book at six o’clock yesterday.
- She (to fall) asleep at eleven o’clock yesterday.
- Mother (to drink) tea at eleven o’clock yesterday.
- The cat (to take) a piece of fish and then (to run) away.
- He (to read) a newspaper when I (to come) in.
- Yesterday I (to get) up at seven o’clock.
- The train (to arrive) at fifteen minutes to ten.
- He (to put) on his coat and cap, (to open) the door and (to go) out.
- At this time yesterday I (to sit)in the theatre.
- I (to go) to the university when I (to see) him.
- At this time yesterday we (to have) dinner.
- He (to write) a letter when I (to come) in.
- He (to make) a report when I (to leave) the meeting.
- Yesterday he (to write) a letter to his friend.
- When I (to look) at them, they (to smile) at me.
- What you (to do) at six o’clock yesterday?
- I (to go) to bed at half past eleven.
- Yesterday the lesson (to begin) at nine o’clock.
- When somebody (to knock) at the door, she (to argue) with her husband.
- When Pete (to jog) in the park in the morning, he (to lose) his phone.
- When the police (to take) the thief to the car, I (to go) to the cinema.
- He (to shave) when he (to hear) her scream.
- They (to go) to the wood last Sunday?
- When they (to sail) down the river they (to see) a little island.
- We (to work) the whole morning yesterday.
- Mother (to cook) dinner at three o’clock yesterday.
- She (to finish) cooking at four o’clock yesterday.
- At half past four yesterday we (to have) dinner.
- They (to translate) a difficult text yesterday.
- I (to open) the window at six o’clock yesterday.
- You (to go) to the cinema yesterday?
- I (not to see) Mike last week.
- When I (to open) the door, my friends (to sit) around the table.
- When you (to begin) doing your homework yesterday?
- We (to discuss) the latest news from three till four.
Leave A Comment