We use the past continuous tense to talk about actions that were ongoing or in progress at a specific time in the past. The document provides examples of using the past continuous to describe background situations and ongoing actions. It also explains that the past continuous is not used with stative verbs and is not the preferred tense for repeated past actions. Finally, the document contrasts the past continuous with the past simple tense, noting that the past simple is used for completed actions that may interrupt ongoing past continuous actions.

1. PAST CONTINUOUS
We use past continuous to talk about something that started before a certain time in the
past and was still in progress at that time.
At 8.30 I was walking along La Raza Avenue.
We often use it to describe a situation, to give the background to a scene that happened
in the past.
What were they wearing? – They were wearing red t-shirts.
We don`t use the past continuous with verbs not normally used in the continuous form:
believe, belong, contain, exist, forget, hate, hear, know, like, love, mean, need,
own, prefer, realize, remember, seen, suppose, understand, want.
We don´t normally use it to talk about a repeated action in the past. We’d rather use
used to+ infinitive:
When journalism I used to cry a lot.
I was a child,
FORMS
Was/ were + verb ending –ing
I was working I wasn´t working Was I working?
PAST CONTINUOUS PAST SIMPLE
Past action in progress Completed action
The action in the past simple is short and usually unexpected. It interrupts the “longer”
action in the past continuous.
a) Past continuous + past simple
What were you doing when it happened? – I was cleaning my car.
b) Past simple + past simple
What did you do when it happened? – I ran away.
PRACTICE
1. Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use the correct form of used to (
used to+ infinitive / didn’ use to + infinitive).
1. My dad was very athletic. He ……………………… (ride) his bike to work.
used to ride
2. Tom ……………………… (not eat) vegetables when he was young.
3. Before e-mail, more people ……………………… (send) letters in the post.
4. Many years ago, women ……………………… (not wear) trousers.
2. Look at Sally’s family photo album. Write questions with the words below and used to.
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2. Then answer the questions according to the pictures
1 2 3 4
Dad the runner Sally at five years old Spot’s first day with family Sally’s bedroom
1. Sally’s dad / run / in races
Did Sally’s dad use to run in races? Yes, she did
journalism
2. Sally / have / short hair
3. Sally’s family / have / a cat
4. Sally / have / her own bedroom
3. Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets. Use the Past Simple or Past
Continuous.
1. While I ……………………… (use) the computer, the electricity ……………………… (go)
was using
off.
2. Tom ……………………… (run) in the race as the photographer ………………………
(take) photos.
3. The people ……………………… (clap) while the singer ……………………… (sing).
4. When we ……………………… (leave) the party, many people ………………………
(dance).
5. We ……………………… (go) to the concert when we ……………………… (see) the
accident.
4. Complete the dialogue with the verbs in brackets. Use the Past Simple or Past
Continuous.
1.
Reporter: Mr Smith, ………………… you ………………… (watch) TV when they
were watching
2.
……………………… (announce) the winner?
3. 4.
Mr Smith: No, I wasn’t. I ……………………… (sleep). My wife ………………………
(listen)
5.
to the radio when she ……………………… (hear) the lottery results. She
6. 7.
……………………… (scream) and ……………………… (wake) me.
8.
Reporter: Well, what ………………… you ………………… (do)?

3. 9.
Mr Smith: I ……………………… (get up) to see what was wrong. My wife
10. 11.
……………………… (laugh) and ……………………… (cry) at the same
12.
time. She ………………… also ………………… (wave) the lottery ticket!
13.
Reporter: What ……………………… (happen) then?
14.
Mr Smith: I ……………………… (start) thinking about a holiday in Hawaii.
5. Write questions about the underlined words.
1. Danny was the stuntperson in the film.
Who was the stuntperson in the film?
..............................................................................................................
2. I saw a comedy show yesterday.
..............................................................................................................
3. They are meeting Sandy.
..............................................................................................................
4. David lives in England.
..............................................................................................................
5. The film was boring.
..............................................................................................................
6. Write the verbs in the PAST SIMPLE/ PAST CONTINOUS
a) When I ……………………. (do) the washing up, I …………………… (break) a plate.
b) While Tom …………………… (play) the piano, his mother ………………….. (do) the
washing-up
c) He ………………………… (drink) some juice and then he …………………… (eat) a few
chips.
d) I ………………………….. (have) dinner when I suddenly ………………………. (hear) a
loud bang.
e) When my father ……………………… (work) in the garden, an old friend ………………..
(pass) by to say hello.
f) She ………………………… (go) to school, ………………….. (take) out her textbook and
………..(begin) to learn.
g) When it …………………… (start) to rain, our dog ………………….. (want) to come
inside.
h) When Jane ………………………. (do) a language course in Ireland, she
…………………….(visit) Blarney Castle.
i) When I …………………….. (be) on my way home, I …………………….(see) an
accident.
j) I ……………………………….. (not/understand) what they ……………….. (talk) about.
k) When he ………………………. (hurt) his back, he ………………………. (go) to see the
doctor.
l) When she ………………………..(hear) the news she ……………………….(begin) to cry.
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4. m) We …………………………… (listen) to the radio when Fred …………………….. (come)
home.
n) I ………………………….. (hear) a strange noise and the dog ……………………. (begin)
to bark.
o) Everyone ……………………….. (talk) and suddenly the lights …………………… (go)
out.
p) I ……………………………. (have) a nice hot shower when I ……………………. (get)
home.
q) The children ………………………….. (play) happily when mother …………………..
(arrive) home.
r) I …………………………… (meet) Peter while I ……………………. (shop) this morning.
s) I …………………………… (stay) in Oxford, so I …………………. (go) to see Tim.
t) Ken ………………………………. (do) his homework last night and he …………………..
(forget) to telephone home.
7. Put the verbs in brackets into the PAST SIMPLE/ PAST CONTINUOUS
1. A: What (you, do) ______________when the accident occurred?
B: I (try) ________________to change a light bulb that had burnt out.
2. After I (find) __________the wallet full of money, I (go, immediately) __________to the police
and (turn) _____________it in.
3. The doctor (say) ___________that Tom (be) ___________too sick to go to work and that he
(need) ______to stay at home for a couple of days.
4. Sebastian (arrive) _____________at Susan's house a little before 9:00 pm, but she (be, not)
_____________there. She (study, at the library) _______________for her final examination in
French.
5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she (watch, also)
___________television. That's all she ever does!
6. A: I (call) ______you last night after dinner, but you (be, not) ___________there. Where were
you?
B: I (work) ____________out at the fitness center.
7. When I (walk) _______________into the busy office, the secretary (talk) ______________on
the phone with a customer, several clerks (work, busily) _______________at their desks, and
two managers (discuss, quietly) ________________methods to improve customer service.
8. I (watch) ________________a mystery movie on T.V. when the electricity went out. Now I
am never going to find out how the movie ends.
9. Sharon (be) ________________________in the room when John told me what happened,
but she didn't hear anything because she (listen, not)________________.
10. It's strange that you (call) ___________________because I (think, just)
_____________about you.
11. The Titanic (cross) _____________the Atlantic when it (strike) ___________an iceberg.

5. 12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain, busily)
_________________and (try) _____________to sell their goods to naive tourists who (hunt)
___________for souvenirs. Some young boys (lead) ______________their donkeys through
the narrow streets on their way home. A couple of men (argue) ___________over the price of a
leather belt. I (walk) __________over to a man who (sell) _____________fruit and (buy)
___________a banana.
13. The firemen (rescue) ____________the old woman who (be) _____________trapped on
the third floor of the burning building.
14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always) _________________her dirty dishes in the sink.
I think she (expect, actually) __________________me to do them for her.
15. Samantha (live) _________in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she
(live)______________there when the Berlin wall came down.
8. a) Choose the correct tense for each verb
Dyson (a) was entering / enteredthe office quietly and (b) was shutting/shut the door.
First, he (c) was pulling/pulled the blind. Next, he (d) was switching/switchedon his torch.
Then he (e) was taking/took some papers out of the desk. While he (f) was reading/read
them, he (g) was hearing/heard a car door outside the building.
The police? No, not yet. Kelly –it must be Kelly!
Quickly, Dyson (h) was switching/switched off his torch and (i) was
listening/listened. What (j) was happening/happened? Kelly (k) was looking/looked in other
rooms. She (l) waswalking/ walked along the corridor. Dyson was ready. He (m) was
standing/stood behind the door with his gun in his hand when Kelly (n) was coming/came into
the room.
b) Put the verbs in the past simple or the past continuous
Kelly (a) ............... (hit) Dyson’s arm and (b) .................... (try) to take the gun. A bullet
(c) ............................. (hit) Dyson’s foot and he (d) ...................... (fall) to the floor. Kelly (e)
.......................... (try) to decide what to do when she (f) ..................... (hear) the police car. She
(g) ........................... (run) out of the building, (h) .................... (jump) into her car and (i) ............
(drive) away.
Dyson (j) ...................... (still/lie) on the floor of the office when the police (k) .............. (arrive).
9. SIMPLE PRESENT / PRESENT CONTINUOUS / PAST SIMPLE / PAST CONTINUOUS. Put
the verbs in the right tense
1. She .............................. (always/borrow) from me and ............................ (never/remember) to
pay me back.
2. Detective: I’m afraid I must ask you both. What ............................... (you/do) at 10.20
yesterday?
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6. Mr X.: I ................................ (play) chess with my wife.
Mr. Y: I .............................. (listen) to a speech on the radio.
3. ...................................... (you/need) another blanket or ...................... (you/feel) warm
enough? No, I .........................
4. Tom ........................................... (usually/ feed) the hens but I ................... (do) it today as he
............................... (not/feel) well.
5. The boys ..................................... (play) cards when they ............................ (hear) their
father’s step. They immediately .................................. (hide) the cards and .......................(take)
out their lesson books.
6. a: Have you read his last book? B: Yes, I have. A: What ..........................................
(you/think) of it? B: I ............................... (like) it very much.
7. a: .......................................................(you/dream) at night? Yes, I ...............I
................................ (always/dream) and if I ........................... (eat) too much supper, I
............................... (have) nightmares.
8. a: ............................................. (you/do) anything at the moment? B: Yes, I ..........I
.......................... (pack). I ................................. (catch) a plane to NYC in three hours’ time.
A: Lucky girl! How long ......................................... (you/stay) in New York?
9. a: The house next to yours ..................................... (be) full of policemen and police dogs
yesterday. B: What .............................................. (they/do)? A: I ..............................(hear) that
they ............................................ (look) for drugs.
B: ............................................ (they/find) any? Yes, I believe one of the dogs .............................
(discover) some cannabis.
10. a: What ............................................. (you/do) when the doorbell ...............................(ring)?
B: I ................................. (do) my homework.
A: and what .......................................... (you/do) when you ..................... (hear) the bell? B: I
.......................... (go) to answer it of course. But when I ............................. (open) the door there
........................... (be) nobody there.