Module

11 Work in pairs. Ask and answer the questions in

Grammar exercise 10.

Past continuous 12 Complete the text with the past continuous or

past simple form of the verbs in brackets.
subject + was / were + verb + ing
I / He / She / It was working.
+
We / You / They were working. Internet helps fight crime!
I / He / She / It wasn’t working.
–
We / You / They weren’t working.
Was he / she / it working?
Yes, he was. No, he wasn’t.
?
Were we / you / they working?
Yes, we were. No, we weren’t.

9 What was happening when Beth arrived home?

Complete the sentences with the past continuous
form of the verbs in brackets.
When Beth arrived home …
1 her brother Mike … (not write) an email, he
… (watch) TV.
2 her parents … (look) at a holiday website, they
… (not prepare) the meal.
3 her sister Lisa … (not listen) to music on her
mp3 player, she … (chat) online.
4 her friend Jed … (wait) for her, he … (not use)
T wo weeks ago a robber took Dave Reed’s laptop
when he was sleeping (sleep). Dave’s a writer
and he (1) … (write) a book at the time – it was all on
the computer.
the computer. Two days later when Dave (2) … (try)
5 the cats Sammy and Fifi … (sleep), they …
(not eating). to find another computer on the internet he saw a
laptop similar to his old one. Dave went to the seller’s
10 Write questions about what was happening house to buy it. When he (3) … (look) at the laptop,
when Beth arrived. he realized it was his old one! When the man (4) …
Mike / write an email / when Beth arrived? (not look), Dave sent a message to the police. When
Was Mike writing an email when Beth arrived? the police arrived, Dave (5) … (talk) to the man, but he
1 her parents / prepare a meal / when she arrived? (6) … (not buy) the computer. The police found more
2 Lisa / chat online / when Beth arrived? of Dave’s things when they (7) … (search) the house.
3 Lisa / listen to music / when she arrived? Dave got everything back – thanks to the internet!
4 Jed / use the computer / when Beth arrived?
5 Sammy and Fifi / sleep / when she arrived?

Past continuous is used for:

– an action in progress at a stated time 13 INTERFACE Work in pairs. Ask and answer
in the past: the question.
q
I was watching TV at this time yesterday.
– an action in progress when another action What were you doing at 8pm last night?
interrupted it:
He was doing his homework when his dad came
I was watching a DVD.
home.
– two or more actions which were happening at
the same time in the past:
David was playing the piano while his sister was
singing.
Time expressions: while, when, as, all morning /
day / night, etc.

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Grammar guide page 167