THE PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE


is formed by WAS/WERE plus –ING form of the verb (was/were playing, was/were doing), etc.


The past continuous tense in English is used to talk about the events/actions that continued/were
in progress for some time in the past.

She was doing her homework from six to eight last night.

He was teaching English for ten years. Note: He is not teaching English anymore these days!

They were driving on D1 when they saw a truck in flames.


We also use past continuous when:


a) Two actions were happening at the same time in the past:

The students were doing a test and/while the teacher was reading a magazine.

She was watching TV and/while her husband was making breakfast.


b) An action in progress was interrupted by another one in the past:

We were sleeping when the phone rang.

She was shopping when she noticed a shoplifter.


c) We need to set a background to a story in the past:

It was getting dark but the missing child still had to be found.

She knew she was not going the right way. Nothing seemed familiar but she kept walking. She was
becoming very frightened ...



We use WASN’T/WEREN’Т (was not/were not) plus –ING form of the verb to make negative sentences in
the past continuous:

She wasn’t thinking about the school (while she was on holiday).

The children weren’t eating. They were awaiting Father Christmas.

The scouts were not sleeping that night. They were so excited!

The other day, I was not feeling well. My head was splitting.



Questions with the past continuous tense intend to find out what was going on at a particular time
in the past:

What was the teacher doing when the accident happened?

What were you doing at seven yesterday evening?

What were the men doing at the office at seven in the evening?

Who was sitting in that chair when you entered the room?







1. Fill in the correct form of the past continuous.

a)       The children (eat)   .............            ................. dinner when the mother
arrived.

b)       The soldiers (march) ...............  ................. when it started to rain.

c)       He (laugh) ...............  ................. through the movie.

d)       The dog (run)  ...............  ............. while he (ride) …….......
..................  his bike.

e)       Yesterday, at six, I (prepare) ............. ................. dinner.

f)        She (study) ...............  ................. English from 8 to 12 yesterday.

g)       When we arrived, our dog (bark) ...............  .............. and (wag)
................. its tail.

h)       I opened the door. Two technicians (try) …….........  ................ to fix my computer.

i)         A:  We (call) ............... ................ you last night after dinner, but you were
not in. Where were you?    B: I (work) .................... .................. out in the fitness
centre.



2. Put the verbs into the correct tense — past simple or past continuous.


a)       Ben (come) ............................ home, (switch) ..................... on the
computer, and (check) ……………....... his emails.

b)       Nobody (listen) ............................. when the teacher (try)
............................... to explain the tenses.

c)       While we (do) .............................. a sightseeing tour, our parents (sip)
............................ mulled wine at a stand.

d)       She (crash ……………...........the car when she (drive) ..................................
home.

e)       He (wake) ............................. up and (look) ………………........... at his wife.

f)        A: What (you, do) .............................. when the accident happened?   B: Well, I
(change) ……………........... a light bulb.

g)       Bob (arrive) ……………...........  at her place at 9, but she (not/be)
............................ in. She (study) ............................... at the library.

h)       When I (walk) ................................ into the office, the secretary (talk)
............................... on the phone with some students.

i)         I (get) ........................ up early. When I (open) …….……….......... the door, the
snow (fall) ............................. heavily.

j)         The snow (fall) ................................. heavily when I (drive)
............................ on a slippery road back home.

k)       While we (clean) ............................ the house, we (break)
.............................. some glasses.

l)         She (miss) ...............................  the tram because she (have)
......................... a chat with some friends.