[LESSON] Past continuous tense

​A grammar lesson:

Past Continuous Tense

​Past continuous

​

The aim of the lesson is to understand what past continuous is and how to use it.​

​Structure

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Subject + was/ were + verb-ing

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Example 1: I was playing tennis yesterday afternoon.

Example 2: They were swimming in the pool last night. ​

​What does it show?

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Past continuous shows longer actions in the past.

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She started listening to music in the past, continued and then finished listening in the past.

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Now for some questions.​

Multiple Choice

We were _____ around the park.

• climb

• doesn't run

• running

• is eating

Multiple Choice

They _____ watching a film yesterday afternoon.

• was

• were

• is

• are

Multiple Choice

You _____ visiting your grandmother last month.

• was

• were

• is

• are

Fill in the Blanks

^{[Fill in the blanks with the past continuous tense of the verb in the bracket.]}

When I called my nephews, they

(play) badminton at the park.

Fill in the Blanks

^{[Fill in the blanks with the past continuous tense of the verb in the bracket.]}

Sarah

(prepare) dinner when mum came home from work.

Fill in the Blanks

^{[Fill in the blanks with the past continuous tense of the verb in the bracket.]}

The players

(play) in the stadium when it suddenly started to rain.

Fill in the Blanks

^{[Fill in the blanks with the past continuous tense of the verb in the bracket.]}

Bob

(practise) his violin when her sister came home.

​Negative

​To make the statement a negative, we add not.

Subject + was/ were + not + verb-ing

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Example 1: I was not playing tennis yesterday afternoon.

Example 2: They were not swimming in the pool last night. ​

Multiple Choice

^{[Select the option with the past continuous (NEGATIVE) tense]}

My mum _____ attention to my story last night.

• is not paying

• are not paying

• was not paying

• were not paying

Multiple Choice

^{[Select the option with the past continuous (NEGATIVE) tense]}

Jeremy, Thomas and I _____ in our geography project.

• is not working

• are not working

• was not working

• were not working

Fill in the Blanks

^{[Fill in the blanks with the past continuous (NEGATIVE) tense of the verb in the bracket.]}

Mark

(clean) his bedroom.

Fill in the Blanks

^{[Fill in the blanks with the past continuous (NEGATIVE) tense of the verb in the bracket.]}

Susan and Lynette

(hide) although the game had started.

Fill in the Blanks

^{[Fill in the blanks with the past continuous (NEGATIVE) tense of the verb in the bracket.]}

They

(surf) on the beach.

​Questions

(Question word) + was/ were + Subject + verb-ing ?

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Example 1: What were you doing yesterday?

Example 2: Were you playing tennis last week?

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Remember when making a question, you need to move the position of the was/ were in front of the subject of the sentence.​

Multiple Choice

_____ they waiting for a bus after school yesterday?

• Were

• Was

• Is

• Are

Multiple Choice

_____ she swimming at last month's swim meet?

• Were

• Was

• Is

• Are

Fill in the Blanks

Were you

(read) all evening?

Fill in the Blanks

Tom talking to you yesterday?

If you need a recap on Past Continuous Tense, watch the following video.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MxsUdWfIO3Y&t=309s

Now it is time for a test

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We will now move on to a Quizizz test.

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Go to Google Classroom to access the test.​