Itis 6 o'clock now, Paul is at home. He is watching television. now (6 o'clock) Ac 4 o'clock he wasn’t at home. He was at the sports club. He was swimming in the pool. He wasn’t watching television. 3.30 NT 4.00 So 415 he started | he finished he was swimming, swimming swinn was/were + -ing is the past continuous: positive negative question I 1 1 he | yas | doing he | was not | doing was | he | doing? she watching, she | (wasn’t) | watching she | watching? it playing it playing it _| playing? te swimming | [—\¢ swimming, ye | Swimming? were not | living living? you | were you | (weren't) were | you they etc. | | they ete, they ete 0 What were you doing at 11.30 yesterday? Were you working? G ‘What did he say? ‘I don't know. | wasn’t listening” 1 It was raining, so we didn’t go out. © In 2001 we were living in Canada. © Today she’s wearing a skirt, but yesterday she was wearing tousers I woke up early yesterday. It was a beautiful morning. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. Spalling (live — living / run > running / lie —> lying etc.) + Appendix 5 am/is/are + ing (present) > was/were + -ing (past): present past 1D Pm working (now) 3 I was working at 10.30 last night. D Ie isn’t raining (now). 1 It wasn’t raining when we went out. What are you doing (now)? 0 What were you doing at three o'clock? was/were — Unit 101 was doing and I did (past continuous and simple) -> Unit 14Exercises Unit 13 131 13.2 13.3 13.4 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 2 3 4 & (ty ‘Se 4 ha 4 ae & q RACHEL JACK KATE TM TRACEY MR AND MRS HALL| at home atthe cinema | in his car at the station | in the park watch TV watch a film | drive wait fora train | walk 1 Rachel was, at home. She, was watching TV. 2 Jack and Kate ‘They Tim 6 And you? I Sarah did a lot of things yesterday morning, Look at the pictures and complete the sentences. 710-725 |7.30-810 [830-900 — 1 At 8.45 ...she, was washing her. car. 2 At 10.45 she 3 At8 o'clock 10.15 — 11.43 | 1200-1245, + At 12-10 5 A715 6 AL 9.30 Complete the questions. Use was/were ~ing. Use what/where/why if necessary. 1 ((youllive) Where. were you living, in 1999? “In London \ 2} (you/do) at 2 o'clock? | I was asleep. 3 | (it/rain) when you got up? No, it was sunny. 4 | (Sue/drive) so fast? | | Because she was late. 5 \ (lim/wear) a suit yesterday? / \ No, a T-shirt and jeans, / Look at the picture. You saw Joe in the street yesterday afternoon. What was he doing? Write positive or negative sentences, Joe 1 (wear / a jacket)... He wasn't wearing a. jacket. 2 (carry / a bag) 3 (go / to the dentist) 4 (eat / an ice-cream) 5 (carry / an umbrella) 6 (go / home) 7 (wear / a hat) (cide / a bicycle)g 6 Past Continuous (I was doing) Study this example situation: Yesterday Karen and Jim played tennis. They began at 10:00 and finished at 11:30. So, at 10:30 they were playing tennis. ‘They were playing of playing. They had not finished playing, they were in the middle Was / were -ing is the past continuous: Vhe/shesit was Playing Seach doing Wi ee eae | working, etc. I was doing something = I was in the middle of doing something at a certain time. The action or situation had already started before this time, but had not finished: I started doing pale I a doing | ‘past past Tow © This time last year I was living in Brazil | What were you doing at 10:00 lase night? I waved to Helen, but she wasn’t looking. ‘Compare the past continuous (I was doing) and simple past (1 did) Past continuous (in the middle of an action) © Twas walking home when I met Dave. © Kate was watching celevision when wwe arrived. Simple past (complete action) © I walked home after the party last night, |= Kate watched television a lot when she was sick last year. We often use the simple past and the past continuous together to say that something happened in the middle of something else: © Matt burned his hand while he was cooking dinner. © Iewas raining when | got up. = I saw you in the park yesterday. You were sitting on the grass and reading a book. |= [hurt my back while | was working in the garden. But we use the simple past to say that one thing happened after another: © [was walking downtown when I saw Dave. So I stopped, and we talked for a while. Compare: © When Karen arrived, we were having |= When Karen arrived, we had dinner. (= we had already started before dinner. (= Karen arrived, and then we she arrived) had dinner together.) Some verbs (for example, know and want) are not normally used in the con! (see Unit 44) IE We were good friends. We knew each other well. (not We were knowing) = Iwas having a good time at the party, but Chris wanted to go home. (not was wanting) nuousExercises UNITS 6.1. What were you doing at these times? Write sentences as in the examples. The past continuous is not always necessary (see the second example). 1. (at 8:00 last night) _/ was having dinners 2. (at 5:00 last Monday) __/ was on a bus on my way home 3. (at 10:15 yesterday morning) 4. (at 4:30 this morning) 5. (at 7:45 last night) 6. (half an hour ago) 6.2. Use your own ideas to complete the sentences. Use the past continuous. Matt burned his hand while he __was cooking dinner The doorbell rang while 1 ‘We saw an accident while we Lauren fell asleep while she The television was on, but nobody 6.3. Put the verb into the correct form, past continuous or simple a 1_saw (ee) Sue in 1 meen) (ride) town yesterday, but she ‘Tom and Jane at the my bicycle yesterday when a (not see) | airport a few weeks ago. man (step) me,She ‘They out into the street in front (look) the other way (go) to Boston and 1 of me.I (eo) (go) pretty fast, but luckily to Montreal, We T______ (manage) (talk) to stop in time and. while we (not / hit) (wait) for our flights him. 6.4. Put the verb into the correct form, past continuous or simple past. 1. Jame wos waiting (wait) for me when I _avvived (arrive). 2. “What (you / do) at this time yesterday?” “I was asleep.” 3. $ you / go) out last night?” “No, I was too tired.” 4. How fase (you / drive) when the accident (happen) 5. Sam (take) a picture of me while 1___ (not / look). 6. We were in a very difficult position, We ________ (not / know) what to do. 7. Lhaven’t seen David for ages. The last time I_____ (see) him, he (cry) to find a job in Miami. 8. [_____ (walk) along the street when suddenly I_____ (hear) footsteps behind me. Somebody ______ (follow) me. I was scared and 1 tart) to ru, 9, When I was young, |_________ (want) to be a pilot. 10. Last night 1 (drop) a plate while____ (do) the dishes. Fortunately it (not / break) Additional Exercise 1 (page 296) 13