Past Continuous

A Complete the sentences with the Past Continuous of the verbs in brackets.

were sitting (sit) in their

1 The students ..............................
chairs when the teacher came in.

4 ........................ you ........................

(make) a noise at 12 oclock last night?

2 ........................ your mum ........................

(sleep) yesterday at four oclock?

5 The boy took a biscuit while his mother

.............................. (cook).

3 We .............................. (leave) the house

when the phone rang.

6 Mum and Dad .............................. (not shop)

at one oclock.

B Write each sentence in the negative form. Then write new affirmative sentences using the
words in brackets. Pay attention to the underlined words.
1 My brother was reading at nine oclock.
(eight oclock)

3 I was waiting for my friend all morning.

(the postman)

My brother wasnt reading at nine oclock.

a ..........................................................................

a ........................................................................

He was reading at eight oclock.

b ..........................................................................

b ........................................................................

2 Sarah and Danny were studying at

six oclock. (watch TV)

4 The dogs were sleeping in the garden all day.

(play)

a ..........................................................................

a ........................................................................

b ..........................................................................

b ........................................................................

C Write questions using the words below. Use the Past Continuous.
1 you / sleep / at 11.00 / last night / ?

Were you sleeping at 11.00 last night?

........................................................................
2 the students / play / during the break / ?
........................................................................

3 your teacher / shout / this morning / ?

........................................................................
4 Sally / shop / all afternoon / ?
........................................................................

D Complete the sentences with the Past Continuous or Past Simple of the verbs in brackets.

was waiting (wait) for the bus

1 He ..............................
arrived
when his father ..............................
(arrive).

4 When his mother .............................. (come)

home, the baby .............................. (sleep).

2 The girls .............................. (swim) outside

when it .............................. (start) to get cold.

5 When the phone .............................. (ring),

I .............................. (write) a letter.

3 I .............................. (listen) to the radio

while I .............................. (read).

6 They .............................. (dance) when the

music suddenly ............................ (stop).

E Complete the sentences with when or while.

while
1 I was watching TV ......................
my parents
were reading the newspaper.

3 Was the dog barking ...................... you

came home?

2 Where were you going ...................... I

saw you in the street yesterday?

4 The fire started ...................... Dad

was cooking dinner.

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Past Continuous Answers

A

1
2
3

were sitting
Was sleeping
were leaving

a
b
a
b
a
b
a
b

2
3
4

4
5
6

Were making
was cooking
werent shopping

My brother wasnt reading at nine oclock.

He was reading at eight oclock.
Sarah and Danny werent studying at six oclock.
They were watching TV.
I wasnt waiting for my friend all morning.
I was waiting for the postman.
The dogs werent sleeping in the garden all day.
They were playing.

1
2
3
4

Were you sleeping at 11.00 last night?

Were the students playing during the break?
Was your teacher shouting this morning?
Was Sally shopping all afternoon?

1
2
3
4
5
6

was waiting; arrived

were swimming; started
was listening; was reading
came; was sleeping
rang; was writing
were dancing; stopped

1
2

while
when

3
4

when
while

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B Burlington Books