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The Past Continuous


Practice 1: Complete these sentences using the past continuous and the words in brackets (). Remember to use contractions ("wasn't", not "was not")


  1. We in Germany when the war started. (live)
  2. I this time last year. (not work)
  3. to him when you saw her? (she talk?)
  4. What at midnight on New Year's Day? (they do?)
  5. I a sandwich when she arrived. (make)
  6. They the film, they were kissing! (not watch)
  7. My sister to pop music in her bedroom all night. (listen)
  8. You the truth when you said you were rich! (not tell)


Practice 2: Complete these sentences with the best form - past simple or past continuous.


  1. I the car while I home (crash, drive)
  2. A shark him when he in the sea. (bite, swim)
  3. It started snowing in the evening, and it when he up. (still snow, wake)
  4. He sunglasses when I first him. (wear / meet)
  5. Sarah's angry because her boyfriend never does anything. For example, yesterday, while she up, he TV. (wash, watch)


Do you want more grammar? If you have 10 minutes free, click here to learn about the past perfect and to practise it.