Past Continuous

▪ I was standing outside the bus station. It was getting late and I was feeling tired. I was waiting for a man called Johnny.

Past Simple

▪ Suddenly, a woman came round the corner and walked right up to me.

5) When two actions are in progress at the same time, the past continuous can be used in both parts of the sentence:

▪ While I was doing my homework, my roommate was watching TV.

Practice

Exercise 1 – ORAL. Read the sentences and comment on the use of the past continuous tense. Translate them.

1.It was five minutes past six, but the bell was still ringing. 2. Bobby couldn’t see him clearly, for it was now growing dark. 3. When she came to herself she was lying on the floor. 4. He was lighting a cigarette when Jane returned. 5. He was still thinking the question over when the telephone rang. 6. The lad didn’t answer. He was looking at the door which was opening slowly. 7. The storms were raging there all the winter. 8. On the way home he was singing merrily. 9. He was asking me about life in South America. 10. This sort of thing was always happening in those days. 11. The cat was one of my regular patients. Her master was always bringing her to the surgery.

Exercise 2 – ORAL. What were you doing at these times?

1. (at 8 o’clock yesterday evening)………………………………………………………………………

2. (at 5 o’clock last Monday)………………………………………………………………………………

3. (at 10 o’clock yesterday morning)…………………………………………………………………….

4. (at 4.30 this morning)……………………………………………………………………………………..

5. (at 7.45 yesterday evening)……………………………………………………………………………..

Exercise 3 – ORAL. Answer the questions using – when – and the verb of the subordinate clause in the Past Continuous Tense.

Example: When did she meet Helen? (walk along the street) – She met Helen when she was walking along the street.

1. When did you catch the cold? (skate on a frosty day)…………………………………………………

2. When did he write those nice poems? (have a holiday)…………………………………………….

3. When did she learn the language? (live in England)………………………………………………..

4. When did she hear that song? (listen to the concert on the radio)………………………………..

5. When did you buy that book? (read up for my exams)……………………………………………….

6. When did the boy hurt himself? (ride the bicycle)…………………………………………………..

7. When did Philip lose his camera? (walk about the city)…………………………………………….

8. When did he ring you up? (have supper)……………………………………………………………..

Exercise 4. Use your own ideas to complete the sentences. Use the past continuous.

1. Matt phoned while we……………………………………………………………………………………

2. The doorbell rang while I……………………………………………………………………………….

3. We saw an accident while we…………………………………………………………………………..

4. Ann fell asleep while she………………………………………………………………………………..

5. The television was on, but nobody……………………………………………………………………..

Exercise 5. Add a sentence with the past continuous to say that an action lasted a long time.

Example: You had to work yesterday. The work went on all day. – I was working all day.

1. You had to make phone calls. The calls went on all evening…………………………………………

2. You had to wait in the rain. The wait lasted for half an hour. ……………………………………..

3. You had to make sandwiches. This went on all afternoon. …………………………………………

4. You had to sit in a traffic jam. You were there for two hours. ……………………………………

5. Your neighbour played loud music. This went on all night. ………………………………………..

Exercise 6. Use the Past Indefinite or the Past Continuous in the following sentences containing as-clauses and while-clauses:

1. They……………………………………..(to talk little as) they……………………….(to drive) home.

2. As they………………………….(to drink) coffee, Ted………………………(to say): ‘Now tell me about yourself.’

3. She…………………………..(to sing) softly as she………………………………..(to beat) the eggs.

4. As the sun…………………………(to disappear), a fresh breeze……………………….(to stir) the curtains at the window.

5. His steps…………………………..(to slow) down as he………………………..(to mount) the stairs.

6. I………………………(to hear) a telephone ringing as I……………………(to come) up in the lift.

7. He………………………..(to come) forward as we………………………(to climb) out of the car and……………………………………….(to hold) his hand to my father.

8. Bernard…………………………(to call) up as I……………………(to prepare) to leave the office.

9. He…………………………(to give) his father an anxious look as he……………………..(to enter).

10. Her husband……………………………(to stop) her just as she……………….(to get) into the car.

11. While she………………………..(to wait) for the kettle to boil she…………….(to sit) by the table.

12. He……………………………….(not to say) a word while we…………………………………(to eat).

13. We…………………………(to look) at the stamps while we…………..(to wait) for Hudson to turn up.

14. While we…………………………….(to talk) Bery………………………..(to come) out of the house.

15. I……………………………….(to examine) the picture while she…………………………(to organize) her thoughts.

Exercise 7. Put the verb into the correct form, past continuous or past simple.

1. Jenny ………………………………(wait) for me when I…………………………………….. (arrive)

2. What ………………………………………………(you / do) at this time yesterday? ‘I was asleep’.

3. ……………………………………………………………‘(you / go) out last night?’ ‘No, I was tired.’

4. How fast ………………………………………(you / drive) when the accident ………………………………..(happen)?

5. Sam ……………………………….(take) a photograph of me while I……………………(not / look).

6. I haven’t seen Alan for ages. When I last……………………….. (see) him, he……………………………(try) to find a job.

7. I…………………………………….(walk) along the street when suddenly I…………………………(hear) footsteps behind me. Somebody…………………………….(follow) me. I was scared and I………………………………….(start) to run.

8. When I was young, I………………………………………………………………...(want) to be a pilot.

9. Last night I………………………………………(drop) a plate when I……………………………(do) the washing up. Fortunately, it…………………………………………………………….(not break).

10. When she…………………………………(come) into the room I………………………………(listen) to the radio.

11. Dan………………………………………….(fall) off the tree while he………………………(rescue) the cat.

12. Last night I……………………………………(read) in the bed when suddenly I…………………………………………….(hear) a voice downstairs

13. I………………………………….(not drive) very fast when I………………………………(see) her.

14. We…………………………………….(see) Amanda in the gallery. She………………………..(wear) her new necklace.

Exercise 8. Put the verb into the correct form, past continuous or past simple. David is always having accidents. His girlfriend Melanie is talking about some of the accidents. Write her sentences from these notes, make the sentences from the words in brackets. Each sentence has one verb in the past continuous and one in the past simple.

1. When / he / carry / a suitcase / he / drop / it / on / his / foot.

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2. He / break / his / leg / when / he / ski. ………………………………………………………………………

3. He / sit down / on a chair / while / I / paint / it……………………………………………………………

4. as / he / run / for a bus / he / collide / with a lamppost…………………………………………………….

5. his / chair / catch / fire / when / he / cook / chips…………………………………………………………..

6. when / he / hold / a beautiful vase / he / suddenly / drop / it………………………………………………

7. he / sit / in the garden / when / a wasp / sting / him / on the nose………………………………………..

8. the postman / bring / the letter / when / I / have / breakfast……………………………………………..

9. it / start / to snow / when / I / go / downstairs……………………………………………………………….

Exercise 9 – ORAL. Each of these sentences has a mistake in it. Write the correct sentence.

1. The hotel were very quiet.

2. It was peaceful and the birds were sing.

3. I washed my hair when the phone rang.

4. You came not to the club last night.

5. It taked ages to get home.

6. We tried to keep quiet because the baby sleeping.

7. As I was watching him, the man was suddenly running away.

8. We pass a petrol station two minutes ago.

9. Everything was seeming OK.

10. Where bought you that bag?

11. When I heard the alarm, I was leaving the room immediately.

Exercise 10. Translate into English.

1. Я окончил университет, когда мне было 23. ………………………………………………………

2. Грей кивнул головой и пошёл наверх. ……………………………………………………………….

3. Я навещала их год тому назад. ……………………………………………………………………..

4. Что с вами случилось в тот вечер? ……………………………………………………………….

5. Он вошёл и увидел Нелли, которая рисовала странную картину. …………………………..

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6. Он побежал к воротам, где стояла Анна. ………………………………………………………….

7. Я взглянул на Дженни, которая всё ещё дрожала от холода. ……………………………….

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8. Они пришли в то время, когда я работала в саду. …………………………………………………

9. Вчера, в 6 часов, она накрывала на стол. ………………………………………………………….

10. Что ты играл, когда я вошла? ……………………………………………………………………….

11. Вода в чайнике кипела, когда мои друзья вернулись в лагерь. …………………………………

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12. Когда я приехал, сестра, к сожалению, как раз уходила. ……………………………………..

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

13. Когда я вошёл, они сидели в гостиной. Старший брат решал кроссворд, мама вязала, остальные читали. ……………………………………………………………………………………………….

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15. Когда я проснулась, в саду весело пели птицы. …………………………………………………..

16. К ним подошёл какой-то мужчина, когда они переходили улицу, и спросил дорогу к площади. ………………………………………………………………………………………………….