Past Continuous: Exercises For Better English Skill

By Benjamin Essek

Past Continuous

Do you wish to improve your English writing abilities? The past continuous tense is a crucial part of English grammar. However, it takes time and effort to become proficient with this tense. We’ll provide you with three exercises in this post to practice correctly using the past continuous tense and understanding it. These exercises will assist you in the way of achieving 4 types of past tense, whether you’re a student, professional, or just trying to better your writing. So let’s get going!

Exercise 1: Choose the correct answer

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Created on By Benjamin Essek

Past Continuous Practice

Exploring The Past Continuous: Engaging In Answer Choices, Mistakes, And Selections.

1 / 20

They were watching/ watched football on TV at 7 p.m. yesterday.

2 / 20

Who was she dancing/ did she dance with at the party last night?

3 / 20

Did you find/ Were you finding your keys yesterday?

4 / 20

While we were running/ ran in the park, Mary fell over.

5 / 20

My sister was eating/ ate hamburgers every weekend last month.

6 / 20

While people were talking to each other, he read/ was reading his book.

7 / 20

It rained/ was raining heavily last July.

8 / 20

I didn’t visit/ weren’t visiting my friends last summer holiday.

9 / 20

What were you doing/ did you do when I called?

10 / 20

Alice saw/ was seeing the accident when she was catching the bus.

11 / 20

Last night I (dropped/ was dropping) a plate when I (did/ was doing) the washing up. Fortunately, it (didn’t break/ wasn’t breaking).

12 / 20

I (walked/ was walking) along the street when I suddenly (felt/ was feeling) something hit me in the back. I (didn’t know/ wasn’t knowing) what it was.

13 / 20

When I (saw/ was seeing) them, they (tried/ were trying) to find a new hose near their work.

14 / 20

Sam (took/ was taking) a photograph of me while I (didn’t look/ wasn’t looking).

15 / 20

 It suddenly (began/ was beginning) to rain while Laura (sat/ was sitting) in the garden.

16 / 20

“What (did you do/ were you doing) this time yesterday?”

“I (worked/ was working) on the computer”.

17 / 20

The light (went out/ was going out) while we (had/ were having) dinner. But it (came/ was coming) on again after ten minutes.

18 / 20

Anna and Susan (made/ were making) dinner when Martin (arrived/ was arriving) home.

19 / 20

How fast (did you drive/ were you driving) when the accident (happened/ was happening)?

20 / 20

The doorbell (rang/ was ringing) while Tom (watched/ was watching) television.

Your score is

The average score is 64%

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Exercise 2: Find the mistakes

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Created on By Benjamin Essek

Past Continuous Practice

Find the mistakes

1 / 20

At this time last year, they ­­­­­­­­­­­­build  this house.

2 / 20

I did my homework and my parents were watching the news when the phone rang.

3 / 20

Who is she dancing with at the party last night?

4 / 20

The tourist lost his camera while he walked around the city

5 / 20

While Ted shovels snow from his driveway yesterday, his wife brought him a cup of hot chocolate.

6 / 20

She paint a picture while her mother was making a cake.

7 / 20

My mother did not do the housework when my father came home.

8 / 20

At this time yesterday, I prepared for my son’s birthday party.

9 / 20

I drove my car very fast when you called me.

10 / 20

I was going down the street when it begin to rain

11 / 20

Peter turn on the TV, but there was nothing interesting.

12 / 20

While I am listening to music, I heard the doorbell.

13 / 20

Last week my friend and I go to the beach on the bus.

14 / 20

She didn’t broke the flower vase. Tom did.

15 / 20

He got up early and have breakfast with his family yesterday morning.

16 / 20

They weren’t sleep during the meeting last Monday.

17 / 20

Where did you went last Sunday?

18 / 20

What was she do while her mother was making lunch?

19 / 20

Was you study Math at 5 p.m. yesterday?

20 / 20

I was play football when she called me.

Your score is

The average score is 85%

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Exercise 3: Choose the best answer

1
Created on By Benjamin Essek

Past Continuous Practice

Choose the best answer

1 / 20

When he arrived at the station, they _________ for him

2 / 20

It was midnight. Outside it _________

3 / 20

A burglar broke into the house while we _________

4 / 20

She _________ when I came

5 / 20

While I _________ , Mrs. Paker began cooking

6 / 20

When we arrived at our place, they _________

7 / 20

They _____ when they saw us

8 / 20

By the time Bill got there, we _________

9 / 20

Miss Brown’s telephone rang when she_______

10 / 20

They _________ when the telephone rang.

11 / 20

When he came into the office, the secretary _________

12 / 20

I _________ when you entered the hall

13 / 20

She was thoughtfully looking at him while he _________

14 / 20

While she was washing up, she _________

15 / 20

When I got home, I _________

16 / 20

The television was on, but nobody_________

17 / 20

Ann fell asleep while she _________

18 / 20

We saw an accident while we _________

19 / 20

The doorbell rang while I _________

20 / 20

Matt phoned while we _________

Your score is

The average score is 85%

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Congratulations! You’ve made progress in your English writing by completing these three past continuous tense tasks. You will soon be comfortable and confidently using the past continuous tense if you practice these exercises regularly. You’ll grow more your skills and be able to create a detailed picture of the past as you move through the past perfect tense exercises.