Work experience – My internship

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Le preterit en Be+ ING (ou progressif)
I Formation:

Auxiliaire be au prétérit+ base verbale + ing

I was
you were
he/she/it was
we were
you were
they were

Exemples :
- I was walking with my mum yesterday. Je marchais avec ma mère hier.

- We were reading our lessons. Nous lisions nos leçons.

Exercice 1 : choisis parmi les 3 formes celle au prétérit progressif qui convient !
1) I __________________ when the phone rang . [ ]was sleeping [ ]were listening [ ]am eating

2) You __________________ two minutes ago ! [ ]was reading [ ]were phoning [ ]are eating

3) They __________________ when their mum called them. [ ]were playing [ ]is waiting [ ]are eating

4) He __________________ a sandwich. [ ]was eating [ ]is playing [ ]are waiting

5) We __________________ him but he didn't see us. [ ]are crying [ ]was listening to [ ]were looking at

6) I __________________ because I had lost my cat ! [ ]is fighting [ ]was crying [ ]am sitting

7) She __________________ in front of me. [ ]was standing [ ]was cried [ ]is look at

8) You __________________ when I came into the room. [ ]are saying [ ]were reading [ ]were hate

9) He __________________ a story about his life. [ ]was saying [ ]is waiting [ ]was telling

10) We __________________ you but you didn't come . [ ]were waiting for [ ]were sitting [ ]were eating

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Exercice 2 : Conjugue ces verbes au preterit progressif.

1. I ………………………..(run).

2. They………………….. (listen) to music.

3. I……………………………………………..(not/drink) alcohol.

4. You ………………………………………….(speak) French.

5. They………………………….(sleep) at a youth hostel.

6. He …………………………………….(work) at the post office

7. We ……………………………………….. (not/play) music.

8. She……………………………………..(go) to the cinema

9. What …………………………………………….. (you/do)?

II Utilisation:

Le prétérit progressif insiste sur la durée de l'action dans le passé.

Il peut souvent se traduire par « en train de »

La seule vraie difficulté vient en fait de son utilisation : quand dois-je employer le prétérit
simple? quand dois-je employer le prétérit en BE+ING?
Pour simplifier, on peut se demander si on met l'accent sur une durée, sur une action en
progression (BE + -ING) ou sur une simple énumération de faits rapides.

Exemple :
> I played football = simple précision: qu'as-tu fait hier ? J'ai joué au football.
> I was playing football = on met l'accent sur la durée, sur l'action en cours. J'étais en train
de jouer au football quand il s'est passé quelque chose.

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Parler d'une action qui avait lieu dans le passé et qui a été interrompue par une autre action

We were eating when it started raining.

Nous étions en train de manger lorsqu'il s'est mis à pleuvoir.

L'action "manger" était en progression et elle a été interrompue par l'action "pleuvoir".

Exercice 3 Compléter les phrases suivantes en utilisant le prétérit simple ou le prétérit

progressif.
1. She ______________________________ (work) when her boss opened the door.

2. I was writing a letter to my sister when the telephone ______________________________ (ring).

3. They ______________________________ (play) in the garden when their mother called them.

4. Before his wreck, he ______________________________ (drive) slowly.

5. I was having a rest when you ______________________________ (arrive).

6. They ______________________________ (sleep) when the baby cried.

7. We ______________________________ (talk) when she kissed me.

8. She ______________________________ (walk) in the street when she was killed by a murderer.

9. I was reading a book when the fire ______________________________ (start).

10. She was doing her homework when she suddenly ______________________________ (decide) to go to the zoo.

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