When and While past progressive

Past Continuous

Objective: to talk about previous events

Formation

Positive

Negative

Questions + short answers

Questions + short answers

Usage

• an action in progress at a specific moment in the past /8.45 last Saturday I was walking in the park./

• the situation at the beginning of a story /In 1972 I was living in London./

We use the Past Continuous to describe:

Use the Past Continuous to talk about a longer action that happening in the background when the shorter Past Simple action happened.

/We were walking in the gardens when he took a photo of us./

Past Simple or Past Continuous

Simple Past

When is used to express an event that happened before another event in the past.

For example, "I ate dinner when I arrived home."

While is used to express two events that happened at the same time in the past.

For example, "I ate dinner while I watched TV."

Past Simple or Past Continuous

Past Progressive

When is used to express an event that happened in the middle of another event in the past.

For example, "I was eating dinner when the phone rang."

While is used to express two events that happened at the same time in the past.

For example, "I was eating dinner while I was watching TV."

Past Simple or Past Continuous

Multiple Choice

We ____ (play) video games yesterday at 3 o'clock.

• were play

• was playing

• were playing

• was play

Multiple Choice

My parents ____ (work) when I came home.

• My parents was work when I came home.

• My parents were work when I came home.

• My parents was working when I came home.

• My parents were working when I came home.

Multiple Choice

She ____ (listen) to music when I called.

• She were listening to music when I called.

• She was listen to music when I called.

• She was listening to music when I called.

Multiple Choice

It (rain)...........all the day.

• was raining

• were raining

• was rain

• were rain

Multiple Choice

The phone rang while I (have) ........breakfast.

• was having

• were having

• was have

• were have

Multiple Choice

Complete the following sentence.

They _______ _______________ an ice cream

• Wasn’t eating

• Were eating

• Weren’t eating

• Was eating

Multiple Choice

Complete the sentence with the correct option:

My friends __________________ outside yesterday at 5:00p.m.

• were playing

• was playing

• were played

• was played

Multiple Choice

Select the correct answer

My aunt Lisa ______________ T.V. yesterday when I arrived.

• was watching

• were watching

• was watched

• were watched

Multiple Choice

The school gardener _______ in the school garden all yesterday evening.

• were digging

• was digging

• is digging

Multiple Choice

The boys __________ in the badminton court yesterday afternoon.

• is playing

• was playing

• were playing

Multiple Choice

They ________  a model aeroplane this morning.

• are making

• were making

• is making

Multiple Choice

She __________ when I entered the kitchen.

• is cooking

• was cooking

• cooked

Multiple Choice

Hafiz didn't go out yesterday because it ___________ all day.

• is raining

• was raining

• were raining

Multiple Choice

The athletes _________ very hard for the sports all last week.

• are practising

• was practising

• were practising

Multiple Choice

I __________ my bike when it started raining.

• rode

• was riding

Multiple Choice

The sun was shining when the cat __________ in the garden.

• wereing

• was

Multiple Choice

They were sailing in the boat when they __________ a whale .

• saw

• were seeing

Multiple Choice

He was playing with his sister when he __________ his head .

• bumped

• was bumping

Multiple Choice

They __________ when it started to rain.

• camped

• were camping

Multiple Choice

They __________ when they saw a puppy.

• walked

• were walking

Multiple Choice

They were watching TV when they _________ pizza.

• ate

• were eating

Multiple Choice

The girls __________ a tea party when they played in the garden.

• were having

• had

Multiple Choice

It __________ when we went home.

• snowed

• was snowing

Multiple Choice

The baby was smiling when he __________ his birthday cake.

• ate

• was eating

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