The past continuousThe past continuous

•We use the past We use the past continuous to:continuous to:

–Describe an action in Describe an action in progress at a time in the progress at a time in the past:past:

I didn’t hear you come in I didn’t hear you come in because I was sleepingbecause I was sleeping..

–Describe a past Describe a past temporary /changing temporary /changing situation:situation:

Her illness was becoming Her illness was becoming more serious as time went more serious as time went byby..

–Express an action which is Express an action which is interrupted by another interrupted by another action.action.

They were crossing the They were crossing the bridge when their car bridge when their car broke down.broke down.

•Provide the background to Provide the background to a story narrated in the a story narrated in the past.past.

Night was falling and it Night was falling and it was raining. Nick felt was raining. Nick felt extremely miserable.extremely miserable.

SOME EXERCISESSOME EXERCISES

• I I …..(live) …..(live) in Edinburgh in Edinburgh when I when I … (… (meet) meet) my my husbandhusband..

•Our teamOur team …. (play). …. (play). We We … … (win) (win) at half time, but in at half time, but in the end we the end we …(lose) …(lose) 3-2.3-2.

• I’m worn out. The baby I’m worn out. The baby … … (cough) (cough) all night long and all night long and we we … (not get) … (not get) any sleep.any sleep.

• Jack Jack …… (play) (play) happily with happily with his toys when his big his toys when his big brother brother … (hit) … (hit) him on the him on the head and head and …(…(maKe) maKe) him cry.him cry.

• I I …(not …(not think) think) of having a of having a birthday party but now I’m birthday party but now I’m glad I glad I …(…(have)have) one. one.

•Roger Roger …(water)…(water) the flowers the flowers when he when he ……(hear) (hear) a loud a loud buzzing sound and an buzzing sound and an enormous bee enormous bee ...(...(appear)appear)

and and …(sting) …(sting) himhim on the on the nose.nose.

• It It …(snow)…(snow) when I got up when I got up this morning. The children this morning. The children next door next door …(make)…(make) a snow a snow man, so I quickly man, so I quickly … (… (putput on)on) some warm clothes some warm clothes and and … (run) … (run) outside to outside to help them.help them.

KEY TO EXERCISESKEY TO EXERCISES

• I I was living was living in Edinburgh in Edinburgh when I when I met met my husbandmy husband..

•Our teamOur team was playing. was playing. We We were winning were winning at half time, at half time, but in the end we but in the end we lost lost 3-2.3-2.

• I’m worn out. The baby I’m worn out. The baby was was coughingcoughing all night long and all night long and we we didn’t get didn’t get any sleep.any sleep.

• Jack Jack waswas playing playing happily happily with his toys when his big with his toys when his big brother brother hit hit him on the head him on the head and and made made him cry.him cry.

• I I wasn’t thinking wasn’t thinking of having of having a birthday party but now a birthday party but now I’m glad I I’m glad I hadhad one. one.

•Roger Roger was wateringwas watering the the flowers when he flowers when he heard heard a a loud buzzing sound and an loud buzzing sound and an enormous bee enormous bee appearedappeared and and stung stung himhim on the nose. on the nose.

• It It was snowingwas snowing when I got when I got up this morning. The up this morning. The children next door children next door were were makingmaking a snow man, so I a snow man, so I quickly quickly putput onon some warm some warm clothes and clothes and ran ran outside to outside to help them.help them.

A murder in Beverly A murder in Beverly HillsHills

•Last Saturday at 7 o’clock Last Saturday at 7 o’clock in the evening a famous in the evening a famous actress was murdered in actress was murdered in her mansion in Beverly her mansion in Beverly Hills. One of her friends Hills. One of her friends was in the mansion with was in the mansion with the actress and he or she the actress and he or she must be the murderer.must be the murderer.

•You’re all friends of the You’re all friends of the actress’s. After the funeral actress’s. After the funeral you meet together to find you meet together to find out who the murderer is. out who the murderer is. Ask questions to the other Ask questions to the other people about what they people about what they were doing last Saturday were doing last Saturday at 7 o’clock in the evening.at 7 o’clock in the evening.

•Someone was watching a Someone was watching a film at the cinema.film at the cinema.

•Someone was shopping.Someone was shopping.

•Someone was having a Someone was having a meal.meal.

•Someone was studying Someone was studying French.French.

Oui, tres bien!

•Someone was practising Someone was practising in a band.in a band.

•Someone was playing a Someone was playing a sport.sport.

•Someone was watching a Someone was watching a play at the theatre.play at the theatre.

•Someone was having a Someone was having a dance class.dance class.

•Someone was driving Someone was driving somewhere.somewhere.

•Someone was killing Someone was killing the actressthe actress..