LICEO POLITÉCNICO “ANDES”

FUNDACIÓN DUOC
English Department
TO BE IN PAST CONTINUOUS

STUDY THE FOLLOWING EXAMPLE:

Examples: Yesterday Karen and Jim played tennis.

They began at10 o`clock and finished at 11.30.So, at 10.30.
They WERE PLAYING tennis.

They WERE PLAYING = they were in the middle of playing. They had not finished playing.

I / HE / SHE / IT WAS
WE / YOU / THEY WERE

I WAS DOING something = I was in the middle of doing something at a certain time.
Examples: This time last year I WAS LIVING in Brazil.
What Were you DOING at 10 o´clock last night?.
I waved to Helen, but she Wasn´t looking.

TO BE IN PAST CONTINUOUS PAST SENTENCES

AND SIMPLE PAST
* I was walking home when I met Dave.
(In the middle of an action)
* Kate was watching television when we
arrived.
* I walked home after the party last
night.
( = all the way, completely)
* Kate watched television a lot when she
was ill last year.

EXERCISES:
I.- What were you doing at these times? Write sentences using to be in past continuous or to be
in simple past.

1)(at 8 o´clock Yesterday evening)__________________________________________________

2)(at 5 o´clock last Monday)_______________________________________________________

3)(at 10.15 yesterday morning)_____________________________________________________

4) (At 6.30 this morning)_______________________________________________________.

5) (one hour ago)____________________________________________________________.

II.- Use your own ideas to complete the sentences. Use the past continuous.

1.- Matt phoned while we______________________________________________________.

2.- The doorbell rang while I___________________________________________________.

3.- We saw an accident while we________________________________________________.

4.- Ann fell asleep while she___________________________________________________.

5.- The television was on, but nobody was________________________________________.

6.- My sister arrived home while I_______________________________________________.

7.- The teacher explained the lesson while the students_______________________________.

8.- We were in break time while some students_____________________________________.

9.- While I_____________________________________________________, the phone rang.

10.- While my mom ____________________________________________________, I helped

her with it.

III.- Translate the follwing sentences into English:

1.- Estaba leyendo el periódico, cuando anoté las palabras.

I WAS READING THE NEWSPAPER, WHEN I WROTE THE WORDS
2.- Estabamos estudiando para la prueba de Inglés, cuando mi mamá llegó.
WE WERE STUDYNG FOR THE ENGLISH TEST, WHEN MY MUM ARRIVED
3.- Sarah estaba corriendo en la cancha, cuando se cayó.
SARAH WAS RUNNING IN THE FOOTBALL PITCH, WHEN SHE FELL.
4.- Mi hermano estaba conduciendo el auto de papá, cuando me vió.
MY BROTHER WAS DRIVING MY DAD’S CAR, WHEN HE SAW ME
5.- Ellos estaban escribiendo la tarea, cuando el director entró a la sala.
THEY WERE WRITING THEIR HOMEWORK, WHEN THE HEAD TEACHER CAME
INTO THE CASSROOM / GOT TO THE CLASSROOM / ENTERED TO THE CLASSROOM
6.- Mi hermana estaba viendo televisión, cuando el telefono sonó.
MY SISTER WAS WATCHING TV, WHEN THE PHONE RANG
7.- Estabamos viajando al sur, cuando nos encontramos.
WE WERE TRAVELLING TO THE SOUTH, WHEN WE MET.
8.- Estaba caminando a mi casa, cuando te ví.
I WAS WALKING HOME, WHEN I SAW YOU
9.- Me estaba sentando, cuando me caí.
I WAS SITTING, WHEN I FELL.
10.- Estabamos escuchando música, cuando el timbre sonó.
WE WERE LISTENING TO MUSIC, WHEN THE DOORBELL RANG