Practice Exercise on Past Continuous

(was/were + present participle)

Past Continuous

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Congratulations - you have completed Past Continuous. You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%. Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

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Question 1

You gave a beer to a 12 year old boy? What ____ you ________?

A	have you thought?
B	was you thinking?
C	were you thinking?
D	did you think"

Question 1 Explanation:

Past Continuous show a long action in the past that is interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action and in the Simple Past.

Question 2

The girl was drinking beer while she ___ ______ her car.

A	were driving
B	does drive
C	was driving
D	drove

Question 2 Explanation:

Two actions in the same sentence, can use Past Continuous to show that both actions were happening at the same time. (These are called parallel actions)

Question 3

The bear wandered into their camp while they ______ __________.

A	was sleeping
B	slept
C	were sleepy
D	were sleeping

Question 3 Explanation:

Past Continuous show a long action in the past that is interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action and in the Simple Past.

Question 4

Their house was robbed while they ____ ________.

A	shopped
B	was shopping
C	were shopping
D	had shopped

Question 4 Explanation:

Past Continuous show a long action in the past that is interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action and in the Simple Past.

Question 5

I ______ _________ on the couch, when the phone rang.

A	had sat
B	am sitting
C	were sitting
D	was sitting

Question 5 Explanation:

Past Continuous show a long action in the past that is interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action and in the Simple Past.

Question 6

My wife ______ _________ when I got home.

A	was cooking
B	baked cookies
C	have cooking
D	had cooked

Question 6 Explanation:

Past Continuous show a long action in the past that is interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action and in the Simple Past.

Question 7

At the party, some people _____ ________ while others were talking.

A	have danced
B	was dancing
C	were dancing
D	danced

Question 7 Explanation:

Two actions in the same sentence, can use Past Continuous to show that both actions were happening at the same time. (These are called parallel actions)

Question 8

I was not taking notes, but I ___ ________ attention.

A	were paying
B	was paying
C	were paid
D	will pay

Question 8 Explanation:

Two actions in the same sentence, can use Past Continuous to show that both actions were happening at the same time. (These are called parallel actions)

Question 9

Justin ran out of gas while he ____ ________ his car.

A	was droven
B	drives
C	was driving
D	were driving

Question 9 Explanation:

Past Continuous show a long action in the past that is interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action and in the Simple Past.

Question 10

Lena _____ _________ violin when one of the strings broke.

A	had played
B	was playing
C	were playing
D	have played

Question 10 Explanation:

Past Continuous show a long action in the past that is interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action and in the Simple Past.

Question 11

What kept the mosquitoes away was the fact that we ______ ______ cigarettes.

A	was smoking
B	smoked
C	did smoke
D	were smoking

Question 11 Explanation:

Past Continuous show a long action in the past that is interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action and in the Simple Past.

Question 12

I ___ ______ during the Opera but you were sleeping!

A	will be sleeping
B	weren't sleeping
C	were sleeping
D	wasn't sleeping

Question 12 Explanation:

Two actions in the same sentence, can use Past Continuous to show that both actions were happening at the same time. (These are called parallel actions)

Question 13

While you ____ _____ dessert, I paid the restaurant bill.

A	had eaten
B	was eating
C	were eating
D	ate

Question 13 Explanation:

Past Continuous show a long action in the past that is interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action and in the Simple Past.

Question 14

When Santa Claus came, Billy ___ ____, Mary ______ ______, and the dog ______ ______.

A	were sleeping, was barking, had slept
B	was sick, is angry, had fleas.
C	was sleeping, was dreaming, was barking.
D	slept, dreamed, barked

Question 14 Explanation:

Past Continuous show a long action in the past that is interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action and in the Simple Past.

Question 15

I _____ _______, so I didn't hear the doorbell.

A	was taking
B	had took
C	was took
D	will take

Question 15 Explanation:

Past Continuous show a long action in the past that is interrupted. The interruption is usually a shorter action and in the Simple Past.

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There are 15 questions to complete.

Past Continuous

Practice Exercise on Past Continuous

Past Continuous

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