Past continuous exercises - affirmative

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Exercise 1

Look at Jane's diary. What was she doing at these times?

My diary
Monday 4.30 - 5.30 p.m have an appointment at the dentist's
Tuesday 7 - 8 p.m play tennis with Mimi
Wednesday 8 - 10 p.m. watch the Black Widows
Thursday 8.30 - 9.30 p.m. revise for an English test
Friday 5 - 7 p.m. do the shopping with Carrol
Saturday 11.30 - 12.30 a.m. cook lunch
Sunday 9 - 10 a.m. tidy the house with mum

On Monday at 5 p.m. she ...................................... an appointment at the dentist's.

On Tuesday between 7 - 8 p.m. Jane and Mimi ...................................... tennis.

On Wednesday at 9 o'clock she ...................................... the Black Widows.

On Thursday from 8.30 to 9.30 she ...................................... for an English test.

On Friday at 6 o'clock Jane and Carrol ...................................... the shopping.

On Saturday between 11.30 and 12.30 she ...................................... lunch.

On Sunday at 9.30 Jane and her mum ...................................... the house.

But I don't know what she ...................................... at 12 p.m. on Sunday. Was she sleeping?

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 Past continuous exercises - negative
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Exercise 5

Complete the dialogues with negative forms of the past continuous tense.

A: Were you talking to Bob during dinner?

B: I ............................................ to anybody. I was alone.

A: Were you watching a football match when I phoned you?

B: I ............................................ TV. I was listening to music.

A: Was I wearing the blue tie at the party?

B: You ............................................ any tie, as far as I can remember.

A: Guess what I was doing between 5 and 6 o'clock.

B: You ............................................ anything, your sister told me.

A: When I met them, Sam was buying some meat and Jill was buying drinks.

B: I don't understand why they ............................................ things together.

A: I wasn't waiting for them when they arrived.

B: Why ............................................ for them? What happened?

A: Eve was looking at me when we got out of the car.

B: It's not true! She ............................................ at you.

A: You weren't looking very happy at the beginning of the English lesson.

B: And why ............................................ happy? I didn't want to write the test!

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 Past continuous exercises - questions
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Exercise 3

Julie saw Tim and Matt at the swimming pool. Make past continuous questions to complete
the dialogue.

Sue: ................................................................. when you saw them? (what | Tim and Matt | do)

Julie: Tim was swimming in the pool, but I didn't see Matt first.

Sue: ................................................... in the pool, too? (you | swim)

Julie: No, I wasn't. I was just looking. But then I saw Matt, too.

Sue: .......................................... ? (what | he | do)

Julie: He was diving in the pool.

Sue: Diving, you say. ........................................... to dive? (he | not | just | try) He can't dive.

Julie: You're right. He was just trying to do it. And all his friends were watching it.

Sue: ............................................ ? (they | laugh)

Julie: Of course, they were. Matt was pretty funny. He splashed the water all over the place.

Sue: ....................................... faces when he came up to the surface of the pool? (Matt | make)

Julie: Yes, he was. He was grinning and making faces at me.

Sue: At you? Vow! And what about Tim? ............................................. Matt, too? (he | watch)

Julie: Not really. He was looking at me instead.

Sue: Oh, no! You're kidding. ......................................... your new swimsuit? (you | wear)

Julie: Yes, I was. Why?

Sue: Now I know why Tim and Matt were watching you, Julie.

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Past Simple or the Past Continuous?

Choose the past simple or past continuous:

1. What ________________________ (you / do) when I

________________________ (call) you last night?
2. I ________________________ (sit) in a café when you
________________________ (call).
3. When you ________________________ (arrive) at the party, who
________________________ (be) there?
4. Susie ________________________ (watch) a film when she
________________________ (hear) the noise.
5. Yesterday I ________________________ (go) to the library, next I
________________________ (have) a swim, later I
________________________ (meet) Julie for a coffee.
6. We ________________________ (play) tennis when John
________________________ (hurt) his ankle.
7. What ________________________ (they / do) at 10pm last night? It
________________________ (be) really noisy.
8. He ________________________ (take) a shower when the telephone
________________________ (ring).
9. He ________________________ (be) in the shower when the telephone
________________________ (ring).
10. When I ________________________ (walk) into the room, everyone
________________________ (work).

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11. It ________________________ (be) a day last September. The sun
________________________ (shine), the birds ________________________
(sing). I ________________________ (walk) along the street when I
________________________ (meet) an old friend.
12. He ________________________ (live) in Russia when the Revolution
________________________ (start).
13. When her train ________________________ (get) to the station, we
________________________ (wait) on the platform.
14. He ________________________ (be) so annoying! He
________________________ (always / leave) his things everywhere.
15. On holiday we ________________________ (visit) Rome,
________________________ (see) the Vatican, and
________________________ (spend) a few days at the beach.
16. Why ________________________ (you / stand) on a chair when I
________________________ (come) into the room?
17. They ________________________ (live) in Germany when they
________________________ (be) young.
18. At 7pm yesterday, we ________________________ (listen) to music.
19. When I ________________________ (leave) the house, it
________________________ (snow).
20. He ________________________ (work) in a bank when he
________________________ (meet) his wife.

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May be freely copied for personal or classroom use.
Answers:

1. What were you doing when I called you last night?

2. I was sitting in a café when you called.
3. When you arrived at the party, who was there?
4. Susie was watching a film when she heard the noise.
5. Yesterday I went to the library, next I had a swim, later I met Julie for a
coffee.
6. We were playing tennis when John hurt his ankle.
7. What were they doing at 10pm last night? It was really noisy.
8. He was taking a shower when the telephone rang.
9. He was in the shower when the telephone rang.
10. When I walked into the room, everyone was working.
11. It was a day last September. The sun was shining, the birds were singing. I
was walking along the street when I met an old friend.
12. He was living in Russia when the Revolution started.
13. When her train got to the station, we were waiting on the platform.
14. He was so annoying! He was always leaving his things everywhere.
15. On holiday we visited Rome, saw the Vatican, and spent a few days at the
beach.
16. Why were you standing on a chair when I came into the room?
17. They lived in Germany when they were young.
18. At 7pm yesterday, we were listening to music.
19. When I left the house, it was snowing.
20. He was working in a bank when he met his wife.

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May be freely copied for personal or classroom use.