PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE

Use the Past Continuous to indicate that a longer action in the past
was interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action in the
Simple Past. Remember this can be a real interruption or just an
interruption in time.

Examples:
1. I was watching TV when she called.
2. When the phone rang, she was writing a letter.
3. While we were having the picnic, it started to rain.
4. What were you doing when the earthquake started?
Examples:
1. Last night at 6 PM, I was eating dinner.
2. At midnight, we were still driving through the desert.
3. Yesterday at this time, I was sitting at my desk at work.
Examples:
1. I was studying while he was making dinner.
2. While Ellen was reading, Tim was watching television.
3. Were you listening while he was talking?
4. I wasn't paying attention while I was writing the letter, so I
made several mistakes.
5. What were you doing while you were waiting?
Making the Present Continuous tense with the correct form of the
verb to be (was/were) and the ing form of the main verb.

Examples:
I was walking down the street when the rain began.
We were studying under the tree yesterday.
He was watching TV when his mother came in.
It was barking when I passed by.
Making the past continuous tense by adding not after to be: was
and were.

Examples:
They were talking with their friends when I came,
becomes:
They were not talking with their friends when I came.

Another examples:
1. I was not watching TV when she called.
2. When the phone rang, she was not writing a letter.
 Making past continuous tense by moving to be: was and were
in the beginning of the sentence before subject.

1. Was I singing?
2. Were you singing?
3. Were we singing?
4. Were they singing
1. A: What ……(you, do) when the accident occurred?
B: I ………(try) to change a light bulb that had burnt out

2. After I ……(find) the wallet full of money, I …………(go, immediately)

to the police and (turn) it in.

3. The doctor ………..(say) that Tom (be) too sick to go to work and that he
……..(need) to stay at home for a couple of days.

4. Sebastian ……..(arrive) at Susan's house a little before 9:00 PM, but she
……….(be, not) there. She ……..(study, at the library) for her final
examination in French.
!
5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time
yesterday, she……… (watch, also) television. That's all she
ever does

6. A: I ……..(call) you last night after dinner, but you (be, not)
there.
Where were you?
B: I ………(work) out at the fitness center.

7. When I ……(walk) into the busy office, the secretary………..

(talk) on the phone with a customer, several clerks (work,
busily) at their desks, and two managers ………… (discuss,
quietly) methods to improve customer service.
8. I ………(watch) a mystery movie on TV when the electricity went
out. Now I am never going to find out how the movie ends.

9. Sharon ………..(be) in the room when John told me what

happened, but she didn't hear anything because she …………
(listen, not).

10. It's strange that you…….. (call) because I ……………..(think,

just) about you.
1. I am sitting in class right now. I …..(sit) in the class at this
exact time yesterday.
A. was sitting C. am sitting
B. were sitting D. sit

2. I ……..(call) Roger at nine last night, but he was not at home.

A. called C. was calling
B. are calling D. were calling

3. I …. (hear, not) the thunder during the storm last night.

A. heard C. wasn’t hear
B. didn’t hear D. didn’t heard
4. It was beautiful yesterday when we went for a walk in the
park. The sun … (shine). A cool breeze …. (blow).
A. shone, blew C. shinning, blowing
B. shine, blow D. shines, blew

5. My brother and sister…. (argue) about something when I ….

(walk) into the room.
A. arguing, was walking
B. are arguing, walked
C. were arguing, was walking
D. argued, was walking