Beginners’ English: I was reading your blog – Past continuous

2nd July 2020

Past Continuous

Subject + was / were + verb ing

I was reading a book

You were taking a rest

At the party, we were singing, playing music, eating, drinking, talking and laughing.

USES:

Something was happening in the past

When I came to class, teacher was playing music.

[The teacher was ALREADY playing]

Compare with Past Simple:

When I got to class, teacher played music

[Teacher started playing AFTER I arrived]

Something was happening in the past:

Last night, I was reading the news.

Something that happens all the time OR a long time ago:

They are always shouting at each other [happens all the time].

When he was young, he was always playing piano [a long time ago].

Practice:

When I phoned my friends, they (play)———-Monopoly.

When I phoned my friends, they were playing Monopoly.

1. Yesterday at six I (prepare)————–dinner.
2. The kids (play)——in the garden when it suddenly began to rain.
3. I (practice)———–the guitar when he came home.
4. We (not / cycle)———all day.
5. While Alan (work)——–in his room, his friends (swim) ——-in the pool.
6. I tried to tell them the truth but they (not / listen )————-.
7. What (you / do)———–yesterday?
8. Most of the time we (sit)——–in the park.
9. I (listen)———to the radio while my sister (watch)————-TV.
10. When I arrived, they (play)————–cards.
11. We (study)———English yesterday at 4:00 pm .