The document provides instruction on forming and using the past continuous tense in English. It explains that the past continuous is formed using was/were + -ing verb form and is used to describe actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past. Examples are given of affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentence structures in the past continuous as well as examples of its use. Exercises are included for learners to practice forming sentences in the past continuous about pictures depicting people engaged in various activities.

1. FORM: We form the Past Continuous from the past tense of be (was/were) + -ing
form.
AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE INTERROGATIVE
Mary Was studying. Mary wasn´t studying. Was she studying?
Mary and Sue were studying. Mary and Sue weren´t studying. Were they studying?
USE: We use the Past Continuous to say that something was in progress at a certain
time in the past.
Example: At 5 o´clock Mark was playing football with his friends.
NOTE: Verbs of thinking and feeling usually do not use the Past Continuous but the
Past Simple.
E.g.: think, know, see, hear, like.
A) Fill in the gaps with the Past Continuous of the verbs in brackets.
• The teacher __________ (not talk) when Mary arrived.
• The pupils __________(play) when the bell rang.
• Lucy __________ (do) her homework when someone knocked the door.
• Mark´s parents __________(write) him a letter when the heard a crash.
B) Look at the picture and write
• Ann __________ (not sleep) when the alarm clock rang.
sentences. Use The Past Continuous.
Example: Cesar and hector were playing
football.
• _________________________
• _________________________
• _________________________
• _________________________
• _________________________
• _________________________
• _________________________
• _________________________
• _________________________
• _________________________

2. C) Look at the picture again and answer the following questions:
• Was Leticia playing football?
• _________________________
• Was Laura riding a bike?
• _________________________
• Were Eugenio and Alejandra sitting under a tree?
• _________________________
• Were Hector and Cesar drinking a coke?
• _________________________
D) Write sentences in the negative and affirmative:
Example: Mary / not draw / in class / (read)
Mary wasn´t drawing in class. She was reading.
• The children / not play/ on the beach / (swim)
• _________________________________________________
• You / not listen to me / (talk)
• _________________________________________________
• My parents / not watch TV / (work)
• _________________________________________________

3. • Ann / not laugh / (cry)
• _________________________________________________
• My sister / not sleep / ( study)
• ________________________________________________
• I / not eat / (drink)
• _________________________________________________