NTINVOUS Were Paul and Claire working at 8 o'clock last night? No, they weren't They were having dinner at a restaurant. We form the past continuous with was/were (past simple of the verb to be) and the main verb with the -ing suffix. We form questions by putting was/ were before the subject. We form negations by putting the word not after was/were. 1 was He/She/lt studying. YouWe/They Were youlwelthey 1 ‘was not He/She/lt — wasrnot_ wasn't YouWoThoy wore not A: How di they get avy’ B: They drove off in.a car which 10) Afire broke out yesterday at Crofton Electronics. What were the people doing when the fire broke out? Look at the pictures. In pairs, ask and answer questions using the prompts bolow, as in the example. ‘SA: What was Tim doing ? SB: He was sitting at his deok. vim ana Hopery check/some reports Saas the directors! have/a meeting Mary/workion the comauter Kim/read/a lettor Put tho vorbs in brackets into the past continuous. ‘A: What 1) ..was happening... (happen) at the time of the robbery? B: Well, 12) (Git) in my office. 1 3) 2 (talk) to an employee. Some of the staff 4) (put) food onto the shelves. Several customers 5) shopping and a cashier 6) behind the til (do) their (stand) A: Can you tell me anything about the robbers? B: Yes. They 7) (wear) black masks and they 8) .. +n (Hod) guns. They 9) - (shout). (wait) outside.nie ¢ Use wee We use the past continuous: + foran action which wac in progrose at a ctatod time In the past. We do not know when the action started or finished. At three o'clock yesterday attemoon Mike and his son were washing the dog. (We do not know when they started or finished washing the dog.) © for a past action which was in progress when an- other action interrupted it, We use the past continu- ‘ous for the action in progress (longer action) and the past simple for the action which interrupted it (chorter action). Ho was reading a newspaper when me his wife came. (was reading = longer eciion, varie = shorter action) © for two or more actions which were happening at the same time in the past (simultaneous: actions). The people were watching while the cowboy was riding the bull The sun was shining and the birds were singing. Tom was driving his old truck through the forest. Time expressions used with the past continuous include: while, when, as, all day/night!morning, etc. when/while/as + past continuous (longer action) when + past simple (shorter action) gS Match Column A with Column B. ‘Column A While | was driving home, We were watching the children He cut his finger At eight o'clock yesterday morning ‘As she was crossing the street, White they were talking , onsen Column B as he was chopping wood. he was sleeping in his bed. while they were playing. she slipped and fell | ran out of petrol. the doorbell rang, aeance voin the sentences using as, wnen or while, as in the example. 1 Tina was cooking, She burnt herselt As/When/While Tina was cooking, she burnt her self Tina was cooking when she burnt: herself Laura was making some tea, She dropped the kettle. Mrs Jason was sitting in the garden. It started raining, Peter was driving his car. He got a flat tyre. She was walking in the park. A dog attacked her, anen Put the verbs in brackets into the past simple or past continuous. Which is the longer action in each sentence? 4 As|...vas doing... (do) the washing-up, |... broke. (break) a glass. “Voing the washing-up is the longer action.” 2 We When the storm ... (walk) in the woods (begin).inuous F dobirsscnienenssns (repair) his motor bike when his mother... (arrive). ai sromntmmnesninsnines (Bat) my lunch when the phone ee (ring). 5 He 5 (ride) his bicycle to school when he. (drop) his bag. ° We (see) a bad accident as we sons (dtive) to the airport 7 Tom... oe . (watch) the match when the TV sve (Teak down), 8 We (talk) when she (come) into the room. ey. Were you steepiny at eleven o'cl0ck fast night? Yes, | was. Were you ..? Yes, | was/we were. No, | wasn'tiwe weren't. Wee he/she. Yes. he/shelit was. No, he/she/it wasn't. Yes, they were. No, they weren't. Were they ...? Yesterday, the people in the picture had to wait two hours for their boat which was late. What were they doing while they were waiting? Look at the picture and describe it using the Past continuou: 28g. The tru girly were playing with 2 ball a ex. 8 again and, in pairs, ask and answer questions, as in the exampl 1. the two girts / play / tennis? SA: Were the two girls playing tennis? SA: Na, they weren't. They were playing volleyball. 2 the young man / listen to / music? 3. the older man / read /a book? 4 the women / knit? 5. the Japanese tourists / take / pictures? Put the verbs in brackets into the past 6 2 A. Yesterday, | went for a walk in the park. While | vas there, I saw lots of children who 1) ..were playing. (play), There was aman who 2) is (walk) his dogs. He 3) ((hrow) sticks and the dogs 4) {run) to catch thom. A gardener 6) : (plant) some flowers and some old ladies 6) (sit) on a park bench enjoying the warm sunshine. It was lovely. 'B Harriet and Liam got married last weekend. It was a eauttul wedding. The brideamaide 1) (wear) pink dresses and they 2) sn {alicarry) small bouquets of pink and white flowers. The photogrephe 3) (take) and the bride's i = ee (ery) because she was so happy. The . _ (shine) and the couple | .. (smile} at everyone. In pairs, ask and answer questions, as in the example. 1. at six o'clock yesterday evening? ‘SA: What were you doing at six o'clock yesterday evening? SR: | was daing my Fnglish homework at two o'clock this morning? at half past nine last Sunday evening? an hour ago? at noon last Saturday? onen