Past Continuous

​Past progressive

​The past progressive tense, also known as the past continuous tense, is used to describe actions or events that were ongoing or in progress at a specific point in the past. Here's a brief summary, including negative and question forms:

​Affirmative (Positive) Form:

• To form the past progressive, use the past tense of the verb "to be" (was/were) and add the base form of the main verb plus "-ing." The structure is: [Subject] + [was/were] + [verb+ing].

Example:

• She was eating dinner when the phone rang.

• They were watching TV all evening.

​Negative Form:

• To make a negative sentence in the past progressive, insert "not" between the past tense of "to be" and the verb+ing form. The structure is: [Subject] + [was/were not] + [verb+ing], or you can use the contracted form "wasn't" or "weren't."

Example:

• He wasn't studying last night.

• We weren't playing soccer in the rain.

​Question Form:

• To form a question in the past progressive, invert the subject and the past tense of "to be" and place them at the beginning of the sentence. The structure is: [Was/Were] + [subject] + [verb+ing] + [rest of the sentence]?

Examples:

• Were you sleeping when I called?

• Was she working on her project yesterday?

In summary, the past progressive tense is used to describe ongoing actions in the past, and it can be negated by adding "not" or turned into a question by changing the word order. It's formed with "was" or "were" + the base verb + "-ing."

Multiple Choice

She _____ a book when I called.

• were reading

• was reading

• was read

• reading was

Multiple Choice

_____ the cat _____ on the couch?

• were / sleeping

• was / sleep

• was / sleeping

• sleeping / was

Multiple Choice

The children _____ uncontrollably.

• were laugh

• was laughing

• were laughing

• laughing were

Multiple Choice

The sun _____ over the horizon.

• weren't setting

• was set

• were setting

• wasn't setting

Multiple Choice

The birds _____ in the trees.

• weren't chirping

• weren't chirp

• wasn't chirping

• was chirping

Multiple Choice

_____ the construction workers _____ a new skyscraper?

• weren't / build

• were / building

• wasn't / building

• was / build

Multiple Choice

Judi and I _____ for our final exams.

• were studying

• were study

• wasn't studying

• was study

Multiple Choice

_____ they _____ in the mountains?

• were / hike

• were / hiking

• wasn't / hiking

• was / hike

Multiple Choice

_____ Maria _____ a beautiful landscape?

• were / paint

• were / painting

• wasn't / paint

• was / painting

Multiple Choice

_____ Sarah _____ in the choir?

• was / singing

• were / singing

• wasn't / sing

• was / sang

Multiple Choice

_____ I _____ dinner at 7 PM?

• was / cook

• were / cooked

• wasn't / cooking

• was / cooking

Multiple Choice

_____ they _____ to the music?

• weren't / dance

• were / dancing

• wasn't / dancing

• was / dance

Multiple Choice

_____ I _____ to work when it started raining?

• weren't / driving

• were / drove

• wasn't / drive

• was / driving

Multiple Choice

Geovanni _____ video games when I knocked at the door.

• weren't play

• were played

• was playing

• wasn't play

Multiple Choice

My friends _____ to the café when I washed my clothes.

• weren't go

• were going

• was goed

• wasn't went

Multiple Choice

My mom _____ pizza when I got home.

• weren't order

• were ordering

• was ordered

• was ordering

Fill in the Blank

You don't understand because you ______

to me! (not listen)

'

Fill in the Blank

I told my boss that I _____

this weekend. I'm visiting my parents. (not work)

'

Fill in the Blank

I _____ work. I'll be home in an hour. (leave)

Fill in the Blank

Steve _____ a birthday party on Saturday 2nd. (have)