PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE - ESL worksheet by mariaah - Free Printable
Educational worksheet: PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE - ESL worksheet by mariaah. Download and print for classroom or home learning activities.
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Step-by-step solution for: PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE - ESL worksheet by mariaah
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE - ESL worksheet by mariaah
Let's solve this Past Continuous grammar exercise step by step. The past continuous tense is used to describe actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past. It is formed with:
> was/were + verb-ing
We'll go through each sentence, determine the correct form of the verb in brackets, and explain why.
---
1. Ernesto was writing a postcard to his girlfriend at seven o'clock.
→ "At seven o'clock" indicates a specific time in the past, so we use past continuous.
2. Tina and Elsa were having their lunch at home in the kitchen.
→ Two people (plural) → "were", and "having" for ongoing action.
3. Walter was sleeping in the hotel in New York.
→ Singular subject ("Walter") → "was", and "sleeping" for an ongoing action.
4. Rosana was not tidying her bedroom yesterday.
→ Negative form: "was not" + "tidying". "Yesterday" suggests a past time, but since it's a general past event, past continuous fits if she was in the middle of doing it.
5. Her aunt Alice was cooking dinner in the kitchen.
→ Ongoing action in the past → "was cooking".
6. Where were you going yesterday when I saw you in the bus?
→ This is a question about an action in progress at a specific moment ("when I saw you"). So, "were going".
7. Daniel was playing golf with his father.
→ Ongoing activity → "was playing".
8. Some girls were dancing at the discotheque last Saturday afternoon.
→ Plural subject → "were", and "dancing" for action in progress.
9. The farmer was feeding the sheep and the cows.
→ Ongoing action → "was feeding".
10. A white cat was drinking some milk in my house.
→ Action in progress → "was drinking".
11. The mechanic was repairing my dad's car.
→ Past continuous for ongoing repair → "was repairing".
12. You were watching television in your bedroom.
→ Subject "you" → "were", "watching" for ongoing action.
13. They were visiting the National Gallery in London.
→ "They" → "were", "visiting" as they were in the process of visiting.
14. My husband was cleaning the bathroom.
→ Ongoing action → "was cleaning".
15. Sarah was walking to school in the early morning.
→ She was in the process of walking → "was walking".
16. A young man was sending mails to his parents.
→ Ongoing action → "was sending".
17. The bus driver was not smoking a cigar.
→ Negative form: "was not" + "smoking". He wasn't doing it at that time.
18. John was swimming in the pool.
→ Ongoing action → "was swimming".
19. Richard was not doing his homework.
→ Negative form: "was not" + "doing". He wasn't doing it at that time.
---
1. was writing
2. were having
3. was sleeping
4. was not tidying
5. was cooking
6. were / going
7. was playing
8. were dancing
9. was feeding
10. was drinking
11. was repairing
12. were watching
13. were visiting
14. was cleaning
15. was walking
16. was sending
17. was not smoking
18. was swimming
19. was not doing
---
- Use was/were + verb-ing for actions that were happening at a specific time in the past.
- For negative sentences: was/were not + verb-ing.
- The past continuous often appears with time expressions like: *at 7 o'clock*, *yesterday*, *last Saturday*, *when...*.
- It describes ongoing actions, not completed ones.
Let me know if you'd like this worksheet converted into a printable PDF or want explanations in Spanish!
> was/were + verb-ing
We'll go through each sentence, determine the correct form of the verb in brackets, and explain why.
---
✔ Solutions:
1. Ernesto was writing a postcard to his girlfriend at seven o'clock.
→ "At seven o'clock" indicates a specific time in the past, so we use past continuous.
2. Tina and Elsa were having their lunch at home in the kitchen.
→ Two people (plural) → "were", and "having" for ongoing action.
3. Walter was sleeping in the hotel in New York.
→ Singular subject ("Walter") → "was", and "sleeping" for an ongoing action.
4. Rosana was not tidying her bedroom yesterday.
→ Negative form: "was not" + "tidying". "Yesterday" suggests a past time, but since it's a general past event, past continuous fits if she was in the middle of doing it.
5. Her aunt Alice was cooking dinner in the kitchen.
→ Ongoing action in the past → "was cooking".
6. Where were you going yesterday when I saw you in the bus?
→ This is a question about an action in progress at a specific moment ("when I saw you"). So, "were going".
7. Daniel was playing golf with his father.
→ Ongoing activity → "was playing".
8. Some girls were dancing at the discotheque last Saturday afternoon.
→ Plural subject → "were", and "dancing" for action in progress.
9. The farmer was feeding the sheep and the cows.
→ Ongoing action → "was feeding".
10. A white cat was drinking some milk in my house.
→ Action in progress → "was drinking".
11. The mechanic was repairing my dad's car.
→ Past continuous for ongoing repair → "was repairing".
12. You were watching television in your bedroom.
→ Subject "you" → "were", "watching" for ongoing action.
13. They were visiting the National Gallery in London.
→ "They" → "were", "visiting" as they were in the process of visiting.
14. My husband was cleaning the bathroom.
→ Ongoing action → "was cleaning".
15. Sarah was walking to school in the early morning.
→ She was in the process of walking → "was walking".
16. A young man was sending mails to his parents.
→ Ongoing action → "was sending".
17. The bus driver was not smoking a cigar.
→ Negative form: "was not" + "smoking". He wasn't doing it at that time.
18. John was swimming in the pool.
→ Ongoing action → "was swimming".
19. Richard was not doing his homework.
→ Negative form: "was not" + "doing". He wasn't doing it at that time.
---
✔ Final Answer Key:
1. was writing
2. were having
3. was sleeping
4. was not tidying
5. was cooking
6. were / going
7. was playing
8. were dancing
9. was feeding
10. was drinking
11. was repairing
12. were watching
13. were visiting
14. was cleaning
15. was walking
16. was sending
17. was not smoking
18. was swimming
19. was not doing
---
🔍 Explanation Summary:
- Use was/were + verb-ing for actions that were happening at a specific time in the past.
- For negative sentences: was/were not + verb-ing.
- The past continuous often appears with time expressions like: *at 7 o'clock*, *yesterday*, *last Saturday*, *when...*.
- It describes ongoing actions, not completed ones.
Let me know if you'd like this worksheet converted into a printable PDF or want explanations in Spanish!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of 982 worksheet.
