Essential Grammar in Use. Unit 13. I was doing (Past Continuous)

 A. 

It is 6 o`clock now.

Paul is at home.

He is watching TV.

At 4 o`clock he wasn`t at home.

He was at the sports club.

He was swimming in the pool.

He wasn`t watching TV.

B. was/were + -ing is the Past Continuous:

• What were you doing at 11.30 yesterday? Were you working?
• "What did he say?" "I don`t know. I wasn`t listening."
• It was raining, so we didn`t go out.
• In 2009 we were living in Canada.
• Today she`s wearing a skirt (спідниця), but yesterday she was wearing trousers (штани).
• I woke up early yesterday. It was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining and the birds were singing.

Spelling (live → living / run → running / lie → lying etc.)

C. am/is/are + -ing (present) → was/were + -ing (past):

Present

• I`m working (now).
• It isn`t raining (now).
• What are you doing (now)?

Past

• I was working at 10.30 last night.
• It wasn`t raining when we went out.
• What were you doing at 3 o`clock?

Exercises

13.1 Look at the pictures. Where were these people at 3 o`clock yesterday afternoon? And what were they doing? Write two sentences for each picture.

1. Rachel was at home. She was watching TV.
2. Jack and Kate were at the cinema. They were watching a film.
3. Tom was in his car. He was driving.
4. Tracey was at the station. She was waiting for a train.
5. Mr and Mrs Hall were in the park. They were walking.
6. And you? I was at home. I was cooking.

13.2 Sarah did a lot of things yesterday morning. Look at the pictures and complete the sentences.

1. At 8.45 she was washing her car.
2. At 10.45 she was playing tennis.
3. At 8 o`clock she was reading a newspaper.
4. At 12.10 she was cooking lunch.
5. At 7.15 she was having breakfast.
6. At 9.30 she was cleaning the kitchen.

13.3 Complete the questions. Use was/were - ing. Use what/where/why if necessary.

1. (you/live) Where were you living in 2012? In London.
2. (you/do) What were you doing at 2 o`clock? I was asleep.
3. (it/rain) Was it raining when you got up? No, it was sunny.
4. (Sue/drive) Why was Sue driving so fast? Because she was late.
5. (Tom/wear) Was Tom wearing a suit yesterday? No, a T-shirt and jeans.

13.4 Look at the picture. You saw Joe in the street yesterday afternoon. What was he doing? Write positive or negative sentences.

1. (wear / a jacket) He wasn`t wearing a jacket.
2. (carry / a bag) He was carrying a bag.
3. (go / to the dentist) He wasn`t going to the dentist.
4. (eat / an ice creame) He was eating an ice creame.
5. (carry / an umbrella) He wasn`t carrying an umbrella.
6. (go / home) He wasn`t going home.
7. (wear / a hat) He was wearing a hat.
8. (ride / a bike) He wasn`t riding a bike.