1. Write down what Mrs. Taylor was doing at a particular time.
Nr: Mrs. Taylor was packing her bags at 6 a.m. (Mrs. Taylor was packing her bags at 6 am.)
6 a.m. pack her bags
7 a.m. drive to the airport
9 a.m. fly to Liverpool
noon have a business meeting
1 p.m. have lunch
2 p.m. check in at a hotel
3 p.m. talk to her boss on the phone
4 p.m. work in the Internet
2. Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Continuous form. Translate the sentences.
- I … (live) in Mexico in June, 2010.
- When I entered the bathroom he … (shave).
- When she met him, they … (work) for the same company.
- What did you … (do) last night?
- I showed him my new dress, but he … (not look) at it.
- When it started to rain, they … (sit) on the grass.
- Which hotel Anna … (stay) when she lost her credit card?
- We … (sleep) when the phone rank.
- Doctor Fleming discovered penicillin while he … (study) influenza.
- Sam ... (stand) under the tree because it ... (rain).
- When the teacher came into the classroom, the children … (run) and … (scream).
- While Bob … (chop) the meat, his wife … (peel) potatoes.
- When I arrived at the party, all the guests … (dance).
- The waiter cut his finger while he … (pick up) the broken glasses.
- What did you … (wear) when he met you?
3. Read the text and answer the questions.
Tom was sleeping in his bed when somebody stole his car. His wife was watching TV in the living room. His mother, Mrs. Crown, was talking on the phone in her bedroom. His father, Mr. Crown, was playing cards with his neighbors. Tom's son was listening to music with his headphones. And Tom's daughter was taking a shower. The dog wasn't barking.
- Was Tom sleeping?
- What was his wife doing?
- Was Mrs. Crown talking on the phone in Tom's bedroom?
- Was Mr. Crown playing chess or cards?
- What was Tom's son listening to?
- Tom's daughter was taking a bath, wasn't she?
- Was the dog barking?
Answers:
Mrs. Taylor was driving to the airport at 7 a.m. (Mrs. Taylor was driving to the airport at 7 am.)
She was flying to Liverpool at 9 a.m. (She flew to Liverpool at 9 am.)
She was having a business meeting at noon. (She was at a business meeting at noon.)
She was having lunch at 1 p.m. (She had lunch at one o'clock.)
She was checking in at a hotel at 2 p.m. (She checked into the hotel at 2 pm.)
She was talking to her boss on the phone at 3 p.m. (She was on the phone with her boss at 3 o'clock.)
She was working in the Internet at 4 p.m. (She was working on the Internet at 4 o'clock.)
- was living (I lived in Mexico in June 2010)
- was shaving (When I entered the bathroom, he was shaving.)
- were working (When she met him, they worked for the same company.)
- What were you doing last night? (What did you do last night?)
- wasn't looking (I showed him my new dress, but he didn't look at it.)
- were sitting (When it started to rain, they were sitting on the grass.)
- Which hotel was Anna staying when she lost her credit card? (Which hotel was Anna staying at when she lost her credit card?)
- were sleeping (We were sleeping when the phone rang.)
- was studying (Dr. Fleming discovered penicillin while studying the flu.)
- was standing - was raining (Sam was standing under a tree because it was raining.)
- were running and screaming (When the teacher entered the classroom, the children were running and screaming.)
- was chopping - was peeling (While Bob was chopping meat, his wife was peeling potatoes.)
- were dancing (When I came to the party, all the guests were dancing.)
- was picking up (The waiter cut his finger while picking up broken glasses.)
- What were you wearing when he met you? (What were you wearing when he met you?)
- Yes, he was. He was sleeping. (Yes. He was sleeping.)
- She was watching TV. (She was watching TV.)
- No, she wasn't. She was talking on the phone in her bedroom. (No. She was talking on the phone in her bedroom.)
- He was playing cards. (He played cards.)
- He was listening to music. (He was listening to music.)
- No, she wasn't. She was taking a shower. (No. She took a shower.)
- No, it wasn't. The dog wasn't barking. (No. The dog didn't bark.)
Repeat with this exercise how the Past Continous is formed in affirmative and negative form. Pay attention to verb forms.
Show answers with translation:
- She was taking an English lesson at seven o'clock last evening (to take). She had an English lesson at seven o'clock last evening.
- Hey Lucy! We were just talking about you (to talk). - Hello, Lucy! We just talked about you.
- Alfred was not singing, he was screaming(to sing, to scream). Alfred didn't sing, he screamed.
- I was talking to Michael when he asked me about my father (to talk). I was talking to Michael when he asked me about my father.
- The plane was taking off when a passenger felt sick (to take off). The plane took off when the passenger became ill.
- I was in the car at that time, but I was not driving(to drive). I was in the car at the time, but I was not driving.
- I'm sure that Ben was just kidding, he didn't want to hurt you (to kid). “I'm sure Ben was just joking, he didn't mean to hurt you.
- no, I was not sleeping when you gave me a call. No, I was awake when you called me.
Exercise 2: Past Continuous in interrogative form
In this exercise, you need to fill in the missing words in the correct form to build interrogative sentences with the Past Continuous.
Show answers with translation:
- What were you doing from six to seven o'clock last evening? (to do) – What were you doing from six to seven last night?
- Were they working when did you come with inspection? (to work) – Was she working when you came to check?
- Which star was shining brighter last night? (to shine) - Which star shone brighter last night?
- What were you feeling? (to feel) - What did you feel?
- was she talking about me before I came in? (to talk) - Was she talking about me before I came in?
Exercise 3: Past Continuous or Past Simple
Fill in the gaps with the appropriate form of the verb – or . Pay attention to the context, which will help you understand what tense of the verb is needed in each case.
Show answers with translation:
- When I looked at the window, there was a group of people in the street. they were discussing something (to discuss). When I looked out the window, there was a group of people outside. They were discussing something.
- while we were watching the movie I understood that I had already watched it (to watch, to understand). While we were watching the film, I realized that I had already watched it.
- Kelly was wearing her new dress, when Alan met her (to wear, to meet). Kelly was wearing her new dress when Alan met her.
- When I met you mother, kids, she was reading a book in the park (to meet, to read). When I met your mother, children, she was reading a book in the park.
- Norman went to work every day. He didn't want to take days off (to go, not to want). Norman went to work every day. He didn't want to take the holidays.
- We were talking about teacher, when she said, “ were/are you talking about be?” (to talk, to talk) - We were talking about our teacher when she said: “Are you talking about me?”
Exercise 4: Choose the correct answer
Choose the correct translation from Russian into English. Pay attention to what tense of the verb should be used.
Show correct answers:
- I was listening to Helen when you interrupted her. – I was listening to Helen, when you interrupted her.
- What were you doing in the park this morning? – What were you doing in the park this morning?
- Peter wasn't reading, he was writing a letter. – Peter wasn't reading, he was writing a letter.
- The man was breathing heavily after he stopped running. – The man was breathing heavily after he stopped running.
- I was looking for the post office when someone offered to help me. – I was looking for a postal office when someone offered me help.
Exercise 5: Find mistakes in the text
There are several errors in the use of tenses in this short text. Try to find them all.
Show correct answers:
| When Jim was looking for a job, Nick told him to ask Ryan. | When Jim was looking for a job, Nick told him to ask Mr. Ryan. |
| Nick said that Ryan needed a good driver. | Nick said that Mr. Ryan needed a good driver. |
| But when Jim came to his office, Mr. Ryan said that they were not hiring at the present time. | But when Jim came to his office, Mr. Ryan said that they were not currently looking for new employees. |
|
Jim asked Ryan if someone else needed a driver. Mr. Ryan said, "You know, I was just thinking about Mr. Jason. You should ask him.” |
Jim asked Mr. Ryan if anyone else needed a driver. Mr. Ryan said, “You know, I was just thinking about Mr. Jason. You should ask him." |
| Jim thanked him and came to Mr. Jason. “Actually, Jim, I was looking for a truck driver”, he said. | Jim thanked him and came to Mr. Jason. “Actually, Jim, I was looking for a truck driver,” he said. |
| “No problem, I can drive anything. Here is my driving license.” | "No problem, I can drive anything, here's my driver's license." |
| While Mr. Jason was reading his CV and checking his license, Jim said, “I have ten years experience.” | While Mr. Jason was reading his resume and checking his license, Jim said, "I have ten years of experience." |
| “Okay, then. You're hired." | "Well then, you're accepted." |
Friends! I don't do tutoring right now, but if you need a teacher, I recommend this wonderful site- there are native (and non-native) teachers there 👅 for all occasions and for every pocket 🙂 I myself went through more than 50 lessons with teachers that I found there!
1. Open the brackets using Past Continuous verbs
1. Around me people (to talk) German, Italian and English.
2. Robert (to talk) to some of the other guests on the terrace when Hardy came.
3. Michael (to look) at his watch.
4. All night long the stars (to glitter).
5. Lizzie (to eat) and didn't raise her head.
6. He drank some of the wine and ate several chunks of bread while he (to wait) for his dinner to come up.
7. The family (to prepare) for the party.
8. She (to argue) that only Belinda knew how to treat men.
9. A few minutes later Dixon (to hurry) through the streets to his bus stop.
10. They moved across the room, which (to start) to fill up, to a vacant corner.
1. They (to write) the test at this time yesterday.
2. He (to work) in the garden from two till five o "clock.
3. We (to watch) television the whole evening.
4. You (to play) football at six o "clock?
5. You (to drink) tea at seven o'clock?
6. He (to draw) from three till four o "clock?
7. Who (to listen) to the radio at this time?
8. It (to rain) the whole day yesterday?
9. They (to skate) at three o'clock?
10. She (not to help) mother about the house from two till six.
3. Write down what Mrs. Taylor was doing at a particular time.
H - R: Mrs. Taylor was packing her bags at 6 a.m. (Mrs. Taylor was packing her bags at 6 am.)
6 a.m. pack her bags
7 a.m. drive to the airport
9 a.m. fly to Liverpool
noon have a business meeting
1 p.m. have lunch
2 p.m. check in at a hotel
3 p.m. talk to her boss on the phone
4 p.m. work in the Internet
4. Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Continuous form. Translate the sentences.
I … (live) in Mexico in June, 2010.
When I entered the bathroom…(shave).
When she met him, they … (work) for the same company.
What did you … (do) last night?
I showed him my new dress, but he …(not look) at it.
When it started to rain, they …(sit) on the grass.
Which hotel Anna … (stay) when she lost her credit card?
We … (sleep) when the phone rank.
Doctor Fleming discovered penicillin while he …(study) influenza.
Sam … (stand) under the tree because it …(rain).
When the teacher came into the classroom, the children …(run) and … (scream).
While Bob … (chop) the meat, his wife …(peel) potatoes.
When I arrived at the party, all the guests …(dance).
The waiter cut his finger while he … (pick up) the broken glasses.
What did you … (wear) when he met you?
5. Read the text and answer the questions.
Tom was sleeping in his bed when somebody stole his car. His wife was watching TV in the living room. His mother, Mrs. Crown, was talking on the phone in her bedroom. His father, Mr. Crown, was playing cards with his neighbors. Tom's son was listening to music with his headphones. And Tom's daughter was taking a shower. The dog wasn't barking.
Was Tom sleeping?
What was his wife doing?
Was Mrs. Crown talking on the phone in Tom's bedroom?
Was Mr. Crown playing chess or cards?
What was Tom's son listening to?
Tom's daughter was taking a bath, wasn't she?
Was the dog barking?
Answers
1. Open the brackets using Past Continuous verbs.
1. Around me people were talking German, Italian and English.
2. Robert was talking to some of the other guests on the terrace when Hardy came.
3. Michael was looking at his watch.
4. All night long the stars were glittering.
5. Lizzie was eating and didn't raise her head.
6. He drank some of the wine and ate several chunks of bread while he was waiting for his dinner to come up.
7. The family was preparing for the party.
8. She was arguing that only Belinda knew how to treat men.
9. A few minutes later Dixon was hurrying through the streets to his bus stop.
10. They moved across the room, which was starting to fill up, to a vacant corner.
2. Open the brackets using Past Continuous verbs.
1. were writing
2. was working
3. were watching
4. Were you playing football…?
5. Were you drinking tea…?
6. Was he drawing…?
7. Who was listening…?
8. Was it raining…?
9. Were they skating…?
10. She wasn't (=wasn't) helping
3.
Mrs. Taylor was driving to the airport at 7 a.m. ( Mrs. Taylorhalalavairport at 7am.)
She was flying to Liverpool at 9 a.m. ( She flew to Liverpool at 9 am.)
She was having a business meeting at noon.(She was at a business meeting at noon.)
She was having lunch at 1 p.m. ( She had lunch at noon.)
She was checking in at a hotel at 2 p.m. ( She checked into the hotel at 2 pm.)
She was talking to her boss on the phone at 3 p.m. ( She talked to the boss over the phone for 3 hours.)
She was working in the Internet at 4 p.m. ( She worked on the Internet for 4 hours.)
4
was living (I lived in Mexico in June 2010)
was shaving (When I entered the bathroom, he was shaving.)
were working (When she met him, they worked for the same company.)
What were you doing last night?(What did you do last night?)
wasn't looking (I showed him my new dress, but he didn't look at it.)
were sitting (When it started to rain, they were sitting on the grass.)
Which hotel was Anna staying when she lost her credit card?(Which hotel was Anna staying at when she lost her credit card?)
were sleeping (We were sleeping when the phone rang.)
was studying (Dr. Fleming discovered penicillin while studying the flu.)
was standing - was raining (Sam was standing under a tree because it was raining.)
were running and screaming (When the teacher entered the classroom, the children were running and screaming.)
was chopping - was peeling (While Bob was chopping meat, his wife was peeling potatoes.)
were dancing (When I came to the party, all the guests were dancing.)
was picking up (The waiter cut his finger while picking up broken glasses.)
What were you wearing when he met you?(What were you wearing when he met you?)
5
Yes, he was. He was sleeping. (Yes. He was sleeping.)
She was watching TV. (She was watching TV.)
No, she wasn't. She was talking on the phone in her bedroom.(No. She was talking on the phone in her bedroom.)
He was playing cards. (They played the cards.)
He was listening to music. (He was listening to music.)
No, she wasn't. She was taking a shower.(No. She took a shower.)
No, it wasn't. The dog wasn't barking.(No. The dog didn't bark.)
1. Around me people (to talk) German, Italian and English.
2. Robert (to talk) to some of the other guests on the terrace when Hardy came.
3. Michael (to look) at his watch.
4. All night long the stars (to glitter).
5. Lizzie (to eat) and didn't raise her head.
6. He drank some of the wine and ate several chunks of bread while he (to wait) for his dinner to come up.
7. The family (to prepare) for the party.
8. She (to argue) that only Belinda knew how to treat men.
9. A few minutes later Dixon (to hurry) through the streets to his bus stop.
10. They moved across the room, which (to start) to fill up, to a vacant corner.
1. They (to write) the test at this time yesterday.
2. He (to work) in the garden from two till five o "clock.
3. We (to watch) television the whole evening.
4. You (to play) football at six o "clock?
5. You (to drink) tea at seven o'clock?
6. He (to draw) from three till four o "clock?
7. Who (to listen) to the radio at this time?
8. It (to rain) the whole day yesterday?
9. They (to skate) at three o'clock?
10. She (not to help) mother about the house from two till six.
Answers
1. Open the brackets using Past Continuous verbs.
1. Around me people were talking German, Italian and English.
2. Robert was talking to some of the other guests on the terrace when Hardy came.
3. Michael was looking at his watch.
4. All night long the stars were glittering.
5. Lizzie was eating and didn't raise her head.
6. He drank some of the wine and ate several chunks of bread while he was waiting for his dinner to come up.
7. The family was preparing for the party.
8. She was arguing that only Belinda knew how to treat men.
9. A few minutes later Dixon was hurrying through the streets to his bus stop.
10. They moved across the room, which was starting to fill up, to a vacant corner.
2. Open the brackets using Past Continuous verbs.
3. were watching
4. Were you playing football…?
5. Were you drinking tea…?
6. Was he drawing…?
7. Who was listening…?
8. Was it raining…?
9. Were they skating…?
10. She wasn’t (=wasn’t) helping…
You can make friends with English grammar only with the help of tests and tasks of various types. It is this method that will help the material not only be remembered, but absorbed into your memory. What exercises are effective for understanding the Past Continuous?
There are thousands of different ways to practice the past continuous tense. But everything past continuous exercises can be divided into several conditional groups.
- First of all, you need to work features of education. Here, exercises are also effective for substituting the necessary auxiliary verbs, choosing from the proposed options. Remember that when adding the -ing ending, there are still some exceptions that are equally important to remember.
- In the Progressive or Continuous group, there are both past, present and future tenses. Despite the huge differences, the pointers are very similar, sometimes even the same. In the exercises for definition of Past, Present or Future it is important to pay attention to all the "signal" words-hints.
- Always a particular problem comparison exercises Past Simple, Past Perfect Continuous and Past Progressive . After all, sometimes it is so difficult to determine which of the actions lasts, and where the fact is reported. Your vocabulary, your ability to translate correctly and see the context will be very useful here.
- If you have already dealt with all this, have learned to see this time in the text, analyze it, then you can easily understand the structure and choose the desired form among other time periods. It's time to move on to more difficult tasks - translating exercises into Past Continuous . Namely, learn to compare Russian and English texts, translate sentences correctly, build independent stories based on key words.
- Well, if you have gone very far, and the entire active voice is already meaningful, then it's time to move on to the passive. Past Continuous Passive , as well as other tenses, has some features in education, use and meaning. In general, Passive Voice with the Continuous group is a bit specific. So, for example, there is no Future Continuous in the passive voice.
To achieve perfect proficiency or just to pass the exams, you need to do a lot of exercises and tests. Starting with the simplest tasks, knowledge gradually accumulates, and you move on to a new level of complexity, and, therefore, to the next level of language proficiency.
Exercises
- The letter (look for) everywhere.
- She (wash) the floor in our flat the whole morning.
- He (not/play) football from 6 till 7 last week.
- Tom (take) a photograph of me wnen I (not/look).
- When I (go) out into the garden, the sun (shine) and the birds (sing).
- You (see) my friends yesterday, when they (cross) the street?
- We (cook) the whole morning, so we weren't ready for the party.
- Please don't make some noise. Father (work) in the study.
- We (ski) the whole day yesterday.
- What do you (do) at 7 o'cock tomorrow?
- I (read) a text the whole day yesterday.
- We couldn't sleep last night because our neighbors (have) a party.
- I tried to explain everything to the teacher, but he just (not/understand) what I (talk) about.
- You (take) a bath, when I (phone) you?
- The text (translate) by the students the whole lesson yesterday.
- Just as I (get) to a creepy part of the detective, somebody (ring).
- I (not/drive) very fast when the accident (happen).
- When they (walk) in the park the day before yesterday, they (meet) Pete.
- At school I (dislike) chemistry because the teacher always (pick) me on.
- I (wonder) wheather you could lend some money.
- The children (look after) by a granny the whole holidays last summer.
- Fleming (study) influenza when he (discover) peniciline.
- As I (drive) to London I (listen) to music.
- The problem (discuss) at the meeting at 6 oclock yesterday.
- was being looked for
- was washing
- wasn't playing
- took/wasn't looking
- went/was shining/were singing
- did you see/were crossing
- were cooking
- is working
- were skiing
- will you be doing
- was reading
- were having
- didn't understand/was talking
- were you taking/phoned
- was being translated
- was getting/ rank
- wasn't driving/happened
- they were walking/met
- disliked/was picking
- was wondering
- were being looked after
- was studying/discovered
- was driving/ was listening
- was being discussed