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Unit 13 · Past

I was doing (past continuous)

Study

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:

positive

I was
he doing
she watching
it playing
we were swimming
you living
they etc.

negative

I was not (wasn't)
he doing
she watching
it playing
we were not swimming
you (weren't) living
they etc.

question

was I doing?
he watching?
she playing?
it swimming?
were we living?
you etc.
they
›

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, but yesterday she was wearing trousers.

›

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.) → Appendix 5

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 (4)

0/4 exercises checked
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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. 1Woman at home watching TV
    RACHEL at home watch TV
    Rachel was at home. She was watching TV. example
  2. 2Couple watching a film at the cinema
    JACK KATE at the cinema watch a film
    Jack and Kate . They .
  3. 3Man driving his car
    TOM in his car drive
    Tom . He .
  4. 4Woman waiting for a train at the station
    TRACEY at the station wait for a train
    Tracey . She .
  5. 5Older couple walking in the park
    MR AND MRS HALL in the park walk
    Mr and Mrs Hall . They .
  6. 6Friends having drinks in a cafe
    And you?
    I . I .
13.2

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

  1. 1Woman washing her car
    7.10 - 7.25
    At 8.45 she was washing her car. example
  2. 2Woman playing tennis
    7.30 - 8.10
    At 10.45 she .
  3. 3Woman reading a newspaper
    8.30 - 9.00
    At 8 o'clock .
  4. 4Woman cooking lunch
    9.20 - 10.00
    At 12.10 .
  5. 5Woman having breakfast
    10.15 - 11.45
    At 7.15 .
  6. 6Woman cleaning the kitchen
    12.00 - 12.45
    At 9.30 .
13.3

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

  1. 1
    (you/live) in 2012?
    Where were you living in 2012? example
  2. 2
    (you/do) at 2 o'clock?
    at 2 o'clock?
  3. 3
    (it/rain) when you got up?
    when you got up?
  4. 4
    (Sue/drive) so fast?
    so fast?
  5. 5
    (Tom/wear) a suit yesterday?
    a suit yesterday?
13.4

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

  1. 1Man in the street without a jacket
    (wear / a jacket)
    He wasn't wearing a jacket. example
  2. 2Man carrying a bag in the street
    (carry / a bag)
    He .
  3. 3Man walking past a dentist, not entering
    (go / to the dentist)
    He .
  4. 4Man eating an ice cream in the street
    (eat / an ice cream)
    He .
  5. 5Man walking on a street without an umbrella
    (carry / an umbrella)
    He .
  6. 6Man standing on a street, not going home
    (go / home)
    He .
  7. 7Man wearing a hat on the street
    (wear / a hat)
    He .
  8. 8Man walking on foot, no bicycle
    (ride / a bicycle)
    He .