The past continuous tense is used to talk about actions or situations that were going on at a specified time in the past.
- I was reading a novel at 8 o’clock last night.
- My mother was watching TV when I got home.
- The boys were listening to the cricket commentary all day yesterday.
- She was crying when I saw her.
The past continuous tense is often used with the simple past tense. In this case, the simple past tense is used to talk about short actions that took place in the middle of a longer background action.
Complete the following sentences using appropriate simple past or past continuous tense forms.
1Last Saturday, when I ............... Mr. Mohan's house, everyone was busy.
Wrong!
Use the past simple "visited" for the completed action that sets the time in the story.
2Mr. Mohan ............... in the garden.
Wrong!
Use the past continuous "was working" for an action in progress at that past time.
3His wife ............... dinner.
Wrong!
Use "was cooking" because the singular subject "His wife" needs "was" in the past continuous.
4Their children ............... their homework.
Wrong!
Use "were doing" because the plural subject "Their children" needs "were" in the past continuous.
5The boy ............... to solve a problem.
Wrong!
Use "was trying" because the singular subject "The boy" needs "was" in the past continuous.
6The girl said that she ............... a letter to her friend.
Wrong!
Use "was writing" because reported past speech usually backshifts the action in progress.
7When I ............... my house, everyone there was busy too.
Wrong!
Use the past simple "reached" for the completed action that introduces the scene.
8My father was reading the newspaper, and my mother ............... a sweater.
Wrong!
Use "was knitting" for an action in progress, parallel with "was reading".
9My brother ............... his bicycle, and my sister was listening to music.
Wrong!
Use "was repairing" because the singular subject "My brother" needs "was" in the past continuous.
Exercise complete
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correct answers
Answers
- Last Saturday, when I visited Mr. Mohan’s house, everyone was busy.
- Mr. Mohan was working in the garden.
- His wife was cooking dinner.
- Their children were doing their homework.
- The boy was trying to solve a problem.
- The girl said that she was writing a letter to her friend.
- When I reached my house, everyone there was busy too.
- My father was reading the newspaper, and my mother was knitting a sweater.
- My brother was repairing his bicycle, and my sister was listening to music.