Past Continuous Exercises
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The past continuous
Use was or were with a verb ending in -ing for an action in progress at a past time.
- Form:
- Use was with I, he, she or it; use were with you, we or they. Add a verb ending in -ing: I was reading. They were reading.
- Past time:
- At 8 last night, I was cooking. The action was happening at that time.
- Negative:
- Put not after was or were: She was not sleeping. We weren't working.
- Question:
- Put was or were first: Was he studying? Were you listening?
- Spelling:
- Make becomes making; run becomes running.
Examples
At 7 last night, I was making dinner.
The action was in progress at seven.
They were playing outside at noon.
Use were with they.
She wasn't sleeping at 9 p.m.
Put not after was.
Were you reading at 8?
A question begins with were.
At that time, the dog was running in the park.
Run doubles its n before -ing.
Audio uses a synthetic voice.
Practice exercises
Choose the correct form
Select the past continuous form that completes each sentence.
1.At 8 last night, I ___ a book.
2.The children ___ in the park at noon.
3.___ your sister sleeping at 10 p.m.?
4.We ___ TV at 7. The TV was off.
5.At that time, he ___ to school.
Fill the gaps
Type the missing past continuous words. Use the verb in parentheses.
Put the words in order
Select the parts in order to make a sentence or question.
11. Build the sentence:
12. Build the sentence:
13. Build the sentence:
14. Build the sentence:
Right or wrong?
Decide whether each English sentence is correct.
15.I were reading at 8 last night.
16.Were they playing outside at noon?
17.She was makeing lunch.
18.We weren't listening at that time.
Actions in progress in the past
The past continuous tells us what was happening at a particular time in the past. At 8 last night, I was reading means the reading was in progress at eight. The sentence does not say when I started or stopped.
Make the form with was or were and a verb ending in -ing. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they. For a negative, add not after was or were: She wasn't working. For a question, put was or were first: Were they working?
Some verbs change spelling before -ing. Make becomes making, and run becomes running. This lesson practises the past continuous on its own. After you know this form, you can compare it with the simple past when telling a story.
Frequently asked questions
When do I use the past continuous?
Use it for an action that was happening at a particular past time: At 8 last night, I was reading.
How do I form the past continuous?
Use was or were followed by a verb ending in -ing: she was cooking; they were playing.
How do I make a negative or a question?
Put not after was or were for a negative: I wasn't sleeping. Put was or were first for a question: Were you sleeping?
Is the past continuous the same as the simple past?
No. The past continuous shows an action in progress at a past time. The simple past can tell us that an action finished. This lesson focuses on actions in progress.
Answer key
1. At 8 last night, I ___ a book.
Answer: was reading
Use was + reading with I for an action in progress last night.
2. The children ___ in the park at noon.
Answer: were playing
Children is plural; use were + playing.
3. ___ your sister sleeping at 10 p.m.?
Answer: Was
Sister is singular. Start the question with was.
4. We ___ TV at 7. The TV was off.
Answer: weren't watching
The TV was off, so the negative weren't watching fits.
5. At that time, he ___ to school.
Answer: was running
Use was with he and double the n in running.
6. She ___ (cook) at 6 yesterday.
Answer: was cooking
Use was with she and add -ing to cook.
7. They ___ (walk) home at 5.
Answer: were walking
Use were with they and add -ing to walk.
8. I ___ (make) lunch at noon.
Answer: was making
Use was with I. Make loses its final e before -ing.
9. We ___ (not sleep) at 8. We were talking.
Answer: weren't sleeping
We were talking, so we were not sleeping. Put not after were.
10. Were you ___ (study) at 9 last night?
Answer: studying
In a question, were comes before you and studying comes after.
11. a book / She was reading / at 8.
Answer: She was reading a book at 8.
Use she + was + verb ending in -ing.
12. at noon? / Were they / playing
Answer: Were they playing at noon?
A question begins with were before they.
13. We weren't / last night. / working
Answer: We weren't working last night.
Put weren't before the -ing verb.
14. the dog / Was / sleeping?
Answer: Was the dog sleeping?
The dog is singular, so begin with was.
15. I were reading at 8 last night.
Answer: False
Use was with I: I was reading at 8 last night.
16. Were they playing outside at noon?
Answer: True
Were + they + playing is the correct question form.
17. She was makeing lunch.
Answer: False
Make loses its final e: She was making lunch.
18. We weren't listening at that time.
Answer: True
Weren't + listening is a correct negative form.