Past continuous ( I was doing ) Exercises

UNIT 12 Exercises

12.1   Here is a list of some things that Ann did yesterday (and the times at which she did them):

1.  8:45-9:15  had breakfast                              4.  12:45-1:30 had lunch

2.  9:15-10:00 read the newspaper                  5.  2:30-3:30 washed some clothes

3.  10:00 12:00 cleaned her apartment           6.  4:00-6:00 watched TV

Now write sentences saying what she was doing at these times:

1. At 9:00 she was having breakfast.                4. At 1:00__________________________________

2. At 9:30 she________________________________        5. At 3:00__________________________________

3. At 11:00____________________________________       6. At 5:00__________________________________


12.2   A group of people were staying in a hotel. One evening the fire alarm went off. Use the words in parentheses to make sentences saying what each person was doing at the time.
Example: (Don/take/a bath) Don was taking a bath

1.  (Ann/write/a letter in her room)  Ann________________________________________________

2.  (George/get/to go out) George____________________________________________

3.  (Carol and Dennis/have/dinner) Carol and Dennis____________________________________________

4.  (Tom/make/a phone call) Tom_____________________________________________


12.3   Make sentences from the words in parentheses. Put the verbs into the correct form: simple past (I did) or past continuous (I was doing).

Example: (I/fall/asleep when I/watch/TV).  I fell asleep when I was watching TV

1.  (the phone /ring/while I/ take a shower)   The phone_______________________________________

2.  (it/begin/to rain while I/walk home)    __________________________________________________

3.  (we/see/an accident while we/wait/for the bus)_________________________________________________


12.4  Put the verb into the correct form: past continuous or simple past.

Example: While Tom was caaking. (cook) dinner, the phone_____________(ring)

1.  George_____________(fall) off the ladder while he________________(paint) the ceiling.

2.  Last night I____________(read) in bed when suddenly I______________(hear) a scream.

3.  __________________(you/watch) TV when I called you?

4.  Ann______________(wait) for me when I______________arrive

5.  I___________________(not/drive) very fast when the accident_________________(happen)

6.  I________________(break) a plate last night. I_________________(wash) the dishes when it (slip) out of my hand.

7.  Tom_________________(take) a picture of me while I_________________(not/look)

8.  We________________(not/go) out because it________________(rain)

9.  What_________________(you/do) at this time yesterday?

10.  I___________________(see) Carol at the party. She________________(wear) a new dress.