AFFIRMATIVE INTERROGATIVE NEGATIVE

LONG FORM SHORT FORM

I was sleeping was I sleeping? I was not sleeping I wasn’t sleeping
You were sleeping were you sleeping? You were not sleeping You weren’t sleeping
He was sleeping was he sleeping? He was not sleeping He wasn’t sleeping
She was sleeping was she sleeping? She was not sleeping She wasn’t sleeping I was
cleaning
It was sleeping was it sleeping? It was not sleeping It wasn’t sleeping
the house
We were sleeping were we sleeping? We were not sleeping We weren’t sleeping
all day
You were sleeping were you sleeping? You were not sleeping You weren’t sleeping yesterday!
They were sleeping were they sleeping? They were not sleeping They weren’t sleeping

1.To describe an action which
was in progress during a
particular period in the past.
e.g.He was fishing all
morning
2.To express simultaneous
actions or events in the past.
e.g. She was singing while he
was playing the piano.
3.To express an activity in
progress which was
interrupted by a simple past
activity.
e.g. We were locking the door
when the key broke.
Put the verbs in brackets into the
Past Continuous Tense.
1.It ……………………..(rain) at 8.00 last night.
2.Jack……………………(study) for his Maths test all afternoon.
3.They……………………(have) fun at the party.
4.She…………………..(sleep) at that time.
5.She………………..(draw) on the wall when he came.
6.He……………….(laugh) loudly while
he………………(watch) TV.
7.They……………….(show) their holiday photos
to each other.
8.The sun………………(shine) when we woke up.
9.Tom……………(swim) during his holidays.
10.She……………(pick) apples when I saw her.

While/As e.g He was reading the Simple Past or Past Continuous?

newspaper while she 1.I…………….(cook) when I………………(hear) a strange noise.
was watching TV 2.We……………..(go) back home when it…………….(start)
When e.g He was playing snowing.
3.When I………………(wake)up the sun…………………(rise).
basketball when he
4.While he……………….(drive) to work his car…………(stop).
sprained his ankle.
5.The kids…………….(play) on their computer when their
mother…………….(call) them.
6.As she………………(cook) she …………..(burn)her finger.
Interrogative - Negative 7.They……………….(talk) while they………………(wait).
8.I………………(see) him yesterday as I…………….(cross) the
1.James was having lunch.
street.
…………………………………………………9.He……………..(hold) a gun when he……………(enter) the bank.
…………………………………………………10.The little boy…………….(fall) down as he……………..(ride)
2.She was shouting all the time. his bike.
…………………………………………………. 11.What…………you…………….(do) at noon?
…………………………………………………. I……………….(send) some e-mails.
3.Beth and Maggie were running. 12.Mike………………..(not/play) football yesterday evening.
…………………………………………………13.The phone………………….(ring) when they …………..(open)
………………………………………………… the door.
4.I was painting the bathroom. 14.He……………..(sleep) when the plane………….
………………………………………………… (land)
…………………………………………………15.She……………….(find) her ring while she
………………..(clean) her room.
5.We were holding our bags. 16.She………………..(wear) a very nice dress
………………………………………………… at the party.
…………………………………………………17.The wind…………(blow) all night long.