Past

Continuous Charades

This exercise helps demonstrate and practice the difference between the past simple and the past
continuous. Split your class into two teams. Explain what the word Charades means using only
motions and no words to get an idea across. Its a good idea to point out here that as the word
Charades comes originally from French it does not follow the normal English CH sound pattern but should
be pronounced instead as an SH. Bring up one student from each team. Show one of the sentences
bellow to both students and tell them they have to act it out no speaking! The other students have to
guess what their team member is trying to get across. The first team to get the whole sentence right are
the winners and get a point on the board. ! Its a good idea to do a demonstration round first before
really starting the game. Play as many rounds as your wish.
I was ing + and
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9.
10.

I was walking to class and saw a bird.

I was eating a banana and choked.
I was playing tennis and got hit by the ball
I was smelling flowers and got stung by a bee.
I was climbing a ladder and fell off.
I was dancing and stepped on my partners feet.
I was studying and fell asleep.
I was washing dishes and lost my ring in the sink
I was biking to school and got lost
I was swimming and saw a shark.

I was ing + when

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2.
3.
4.
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6.
7.

I was reading outside when it started to rain.

I was watching TV when the power went out.
I was running when I slipped on ice.
I was talking on the phone when I dropped it.
I was driving to work when I hit another car.
I was cooking when I dropped the spoon.
I was reading outside when it started to rain.

I was ing + while
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2.
3.
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6.
7.
8.

I was watching TV while I was eating dinner

I was walking to class while I was listening to music.
I was dancing while sweeping the floor.
I was running a marathon while chewing gum.
While I was studying my Mom was cooking dinner.
I was singing while taking a shower.
While I was talking a baby started crying.
While I was cooking the stove exploded.

Past Continuous Charades

9. While I was shopping for clothes I met a friend.
10. While I was finishing a letter the mailman arrived.

More difficult sentence combinations - Add in other tenses, time references, advanced vocabulary
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2.
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10.

Yesterday, while the sun was shining it suddenly started to rain.

The Prince was hunting when he saw a beautiful girl.
Last night I was eating dinner when I saw a mouse!
She was watching TV when the electricity went out.
Three little boys were playing when they heard their Mothers call.
Two girls were hunting frogs when one fell into a pond.
While the Queen was sitting she called her dogs.
The man was singing while he swung his hammer.
Four Ladies were chatting while they drank tea.
Four days ago a man was climbing a mountain and started an avalanche.