Grammar reference and practice 2.2

2.2 ■ Past continuous

Affirmative and negative
I He She It	was wasn't (= was not)		travelling very fast.
We You They	were weren't (= were not)
Questions and short answers
Was	I he she it	looking at a map?	Yes, I was. No, I wasn't.
Were	we you they		Yes, we were. No, we weren't.

Use

We use the past continuous for:

• ■background descriptions, especially in stories.

  The sun was shining and the birds were singing.

  ■actions in progress at a specific time in the past.

  What were you doing at 3 p.m. on Wednesday?

  I was watching TV and my brother was listening to music.

We often use the past continuous and the past simple together for a longer action interrupted by a shorter action.

It was raining when we left the house.

We do not use the past continuous with state verbs such as believe, need, understand, etc. but we often use it with verbs which show that the action or event has duration such as wait, live, work, rain, etc.

1Complete the sentences. Use the past continuous form of the verbs in the box. 

You need to use normal letters and capital letters correctly in this task.

MOVE
• hope
• talk
• not sit
• have
• call
• not listen
• send
• watch

• 1We  a fantastic time at the party.

• 2Joe tried to tell her the truth, but Eva  to him.

• 3Who  you  an email to?

• 4I  to get a bike for my birthday, but I got a new football.

• 5 Tim  my name?

• 6The people at the concert  down because there weren't any seats.

• 7The TV was on, but no one  it.

• 8Sorry,  you  to me?

2Complete the sentences. Use the past continuous form of the verbs in brackets. 

You need to use normal letters and capital letters correctly in this task.

• 1You were shouting in your sleep. What  (you / dream) about?

• 2Dan and Dave  (not swim) in the sea. They were on the beach.

• 3When I woke up, I  (lie) on the floor.

• 4We  (get) ready for the party when you phoned.

• 5Why  (Fred / run) to school? He wasn't late.

• 6I wasn't at home at ten o'clock. I  (help) my uncle in his garden.

• 7What's the name of the girl you  (talk) to last night?

• 8Kim and I  (wait) for you in the park. Why didn't you come?

 3Write sentences without changing the word order. Use the past simple and past continuous in each sentence. 

You need to use normal letters and capital letters correctly in this task. You also need to use correct punctuation.

• 1Maya / walk / to school / when / she / meet / Lola

• 2we / sit / by the pool / when / it start / to rain

• 3when / the bus / come, / Joe / buy / a magazine

• 4when / you / phone / me, / I / bake / a cake

• 5Carla / not smile / when / I / look / at her

• 6the children / not play / outside / when / the accident / happen

• 7when / the police / stop / him, / he / drive / home

• 8I / read / your email / when / they / arrive