Past continuous

What’s Up? 9
Unit 1.2 Teens take action
 Past Continuous
Read the sentence and the information below.

While I was watching a documentary about

wildlife rescue, my parents were sleeping.

 We use the past continuous to describe one or more actions in progress at a

specific time in the past.

 We form the past continuous with was / were + main verb + -ing

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 Read the examples.

Affirmative Negative Interrogative

I I I
He He he
She She was not she
It was It Was it
wasn’t
sleeping sleeping sleeping?
You You were not you
We were We Were we
They They weren’t they

Short Answers: Were you sleeping? Yes, we were. / No, we weren’t.

Was she sleeping? Yes, she was. / No, she wasn’t.
Time expressions:
while/as They were playing with the dogs while/as I was feeding the birds.

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 Complete the sentences in the past continuous.

 were cleaning
We _________________ (clean up) the school yard yesterday at 4 o’clock.

 was distributing (distribute) food to families in need at that time.

Kate _________________

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 Complete the sentences in the past continuous.

was assisting (assisting) teachers in classroom activities

 She _________________
was tutoring (tutor) an eleven-year-old student.
while I ____________

 While we ___________________
were volunteering (volunteer) at the summer camp, I
was leading (lead) a group of children in a recycling campaign.
______________
What’s Up? | Unit 1.2 Teens take action
 Complete the sentences in the past continuous.

 My father _____________
was coaching (coach) a sports team last Sunday
afternoon.

 What _____ saying (say) about the tree-planting project?

was Simon _______

 The students _____________

were serving (serve) meals to the homeless.

 They _______________
weren’t feeding (not feed) the dogs at that time.

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 Complete the sentences in the past continuous.

 _______
Were you _________
watching (watch) that documentary about
sustainable food?

 Jane _________________
was participating (participate) in a volunteer program
abroad.

 While we _______________
were sailing were swimming
(sail), some dolphins ______________
(swim) near our boat.

 My friend Jamie ______________

wasn’t helping (not help) at the shelter.

What’s Up? | Unit 1.2 Teens take action