Freeway beginner / Grammar / Tenses Active / Continuous Group / Past Continuous

Past Continuous

1. Use Past Continuous (I was doing) in the sentences below.

1. I was not listening, so I missed what he said (not / to listen). 2. We stayed because we _____ ourselves (to enjoy). 3. _____ television all evening? (you / to watch) 4. It _____ hard all day (to rain). 5. I _____ whether you could lend me some money (to wonder). 6. _____ when I left? (you / still / to work) 7. I lived in France at the time you _____ in Spain (to live). 8. _____ when I rang you? (you / to read) 9. Just as I _____ to an interesting part of the story, the doorbell rang (to get). 10. He _____ all weekend (to garden).

2. Complete the sentences in A choosing the most suitable phrase from B.

A	B
1. Tom did his morning exercises _____ .	1. _____ when the accident happened.
2. George was driving the car _____ .	2. _____ from the moment he saw me.
3. She almost got run over _____ .	3. _____ and could not say a word.
4. The family was having a party _____ .	4. _____ when at last I found him.
5. I met the girl _____ .	5. _____ as soon as he heard the news.
6. He took a dislike to me _____ .	6. _____ when she crossed the road.
7. The girl was crying _____ .	7. _____ when the post arrived.
8. The boy was hiding something in the table _____ .	8. _____ who was holding her hat on with one hand.
9. Mary was speaking over the telephone _____ .	9. _____ when she heard a strange sound outside.
10. He left the office at once _____ .	10. _____ at the end of the street.
11. It belonged to a woman _____ .	11. _____ before breakfast.

3. Make sentences from the words in brackets. Put the verbs into correct form: Past Indefinite (I did) / Past Continuous (I was doing).

1. (I / fall / asleep / when I / watch / television). 2. (Tom / burn / his hand when he / cook / dinner). 3. (She / walk / along the street / and she / not / see / me). 4. (We / see / James / in the park. He / sit / on the grass and / read / the book). 5. (While / he / consider / that idea / the horses / suddenly / break into a gallop). 6. (We / not / go / out / because it / rain / heavily). 7. (The most extraordinary thing / happen / to him / while / he / have / holiday / in London). 8. (While / I / play / the piano / Joan / read / a newspaper). 9. (My uncle / fall / off the ladder / while / he / paint / the ceiling).10. (When we / arrive / the family / have lunch).

4. Complete the sentences using Past Continuous of the verbs in the box.

answer, begin, climb, count, drive, eat, look, melt, sing, stand, walk

1. Fortunately I didn’t get wet because I _____ under a large tree when it began to rain. 2. I saw Don at the student cafeteria at lunch time. He _____ a sandwich. 3. Mr. White asked an interesting question. The professor _____ Mr. White’s question when Mr. Gray rudely interrupted. 4. Robert didn’t answer the phone when Sarah called. He _____ his favourite song in the shower and didn’t hear the phone ring. 5. A: I saw a whale! B: Really? When? A: This morning. I _____ on the beach when I heard a sudden “whoosh!” It was the spout of a huge gray whale. 6. Three people _____ the east side of the mountain when the avalanche occurred. All three died. 7. A: Were you on time for the play last night? B: I drove as fast as I could. The play _____ just as we walked in the door of the theatre. 8. Robert came in while I _____ the money from the day’s receipts. I completely lost track and had to start all over again. 9. It was difficult to ski because the temperature was rising and the snow _____ . 10. A: What do you think was the cause of your accident? B: I know what caused it. Paul _____ at the scenery while he _____ the car. He simply didn’t see the other car pull out from the right.

5. Translate the following sentences.

1. Вчора ввечері йшов дощ, тому я залишився вдома. 2. Він телефонував мені, коли ми вечеряли. 3. Сонце сідало за гори, коли я підійшов до села. 4. Я сиділа біля вікна, коли раптом почула чиїсь голоси. 5. Я глянув на Мері, яка все ще тремтіла від холоду. 6. Ми розмовляли про Джиммі, коли він вбіг до кімнати. 7. Увійшовши до будинку, вона побачила чоловіка, який намагався відкрити двері силою. 8. Коли я повернувся, Том лежав на канапі і розмовляв по телефону. 9. Поліція спіймала Дена, коли він грабував крамницю. 10. Лило як з відра, коли ми проходили вздовж вашого будинку.

6. Open the brackets using Past Indefinite (I did) / Past Continuous (I was doing).

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. 11. The Titanic (cross) the Atlantic when it (strike) an iceberg. 12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain, busily) and (try) to sell their goods to naive tourists who (hunt) for souvenirs. Some young boys (lead) their donkeys through the narrow streets on their way home. A couple of men (argue) over the price of a leather belt. I (walk) over to a man who (sell) fruit and (buy) a banana. 13. The firemen (rescue) the old woman who (be) trapped on the third floor of the burning building. 14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always) her dirty dishes in the sink. I think she (expect, actually) me to do them for her. 15. Samantha (live) in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live) there when the Berlin Wall came down.

Revision Test on Past Indefinite / Past Continuous

Choose the correct variant.

1. Why _____ she _____ so sad when we _____ her?

a) was … looking, saw b) was … looking, were seeing

2. The Smiths _____ to the country every Sunday.

a) were going b) went

3. It _____ all day yesterday.

a) rained b) was raining

4. What _____ you _____ when I _____ in the garden?

a) were … doing, worked b) were … doing, was working

5. Every day he _____ early in the morning when the sun _____ to shine.

a) was getting up, began b) got up, began

6. I _____ what he _____ .

a) did not understand, was saying b) did not understand, said

7. She _____ at him as she _____ to.

a) was not looking, was not wanting b) was not looking, did not want

8. The moment Bob _____ her, she _____ the street.

a) saw, was crossing b) was seeing, was crossing

9. They often _____ at Bob’s when they _____ to Glasgow.

a) were stopping, were driving b) stopped, were driving

10. Paul _____ Ann _____ at him.

a) thought, laughed b) thought, was laughing