Welcome to our Past Continuous Exercises. Let’s learn how to use the past continuous tense when something happened in the middle of something else. It is important to learn how to use them properly at this expanding stage of English where there is more focus on academic tasks and language functions. These Past Continuous Exercises teach how to talk about these actions in the past.
You use the past continuous when an action or situation started before a time in the past, but had not finished.
- I waved at George, but he wasn’t looking.
- This time last year, I was studying in England.
- What were you doing in your English class yesterday?
You can use ot when something happened in the middle of something else.
- My phone rang while I was studying French.
- It was raining when I got up.
- I hurt my leg while I was playing basketball.
When you use the past of be (am/is/are), it changes to was/were.
Some verbs like know and want are not normally used in the past continuous.
- Danny and I were good friends. We knew each other well.
- I wanted to go home as I wasn’t enjoying the party.
- Air Travel Exercises
- Animals and Pets
- British and American English
- Chinese New Year
- Christmas
- Clothing
- Computer Exercises
- Easter (A2 – B1 Levels)
- Education
- Entertainment
- Environment
- Environmental Issues
- Finance Exercises
- Food and Drink
- Leisure and Hobbies
- Money Exercises
- Phoning and Texting Exercises
- Places and Buildings
- Relationships
- Transport and Travel
- Work and Jobs
- Email – Barbecue Invitation
- Email – Visiting a relative
- Short Story – In Free Fall
- Short Story – The Angel
- Email – School Holidays
- Article – The Countryside
- Short Story – Art Competition
- Book Review – The Call
- Speech – Course Introduction
- News Report – Bank Robbery
- Email – Saving Energy
- Email – Subject Choices
- Email – Party Invitation
- Short Story – Computer Problems
- Email – Holiday in Thailand
- Letter – Most Important Time
- Short Story – Talent Contest
- Email – New School
- Email – about University
- Email – Favourite Film
- Email – Holiday Plans
- Report – Eating out in Berlin
- Article – Work of Art
- Report – Features of Glaciers
- Email – Borrowing
- Article – The Cardboard Bike
- Email – Summer School
- Article – Schools for Boys and Girls
- Article – Being Famous
- Movie Review – Ted
- Blog Post – A New Life in Japan
- Email – Computer Games
- Air Travel Crossword
- Computer Crossword
- Crime Crossword
- Entertainment Crossword
- Financial Language Crossword
- Food Crossword
- Health Crossword
- Home Crossword
- Language Crossword
- Leisure Crossword
- Money Crossword
- Natural World Crossword
- Places Crossword
- Shopping Crossword
- Sports Crossword
- Technology Crossword
- Texting Crossword
- Time Crossword
- Transport Crossword
- Travel Crossword
- Work and Jobs Crossword
- Adjectives with -ing Word Search
- Art Word Search
- Bonfire Night Word Search
- Buildings Word Search
- Classical Music Word Search
- Countryside Word Search
- Drama Word Search
- Education Word Search
- Entertainment Word Search
- Fast Food Word Search
- Feelings Word Search
- Food and Drink Word Search
- Football Word Search
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- Haunted House Word Search
- Health Word Search
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- Internet Word Search
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- Natural World Word Search
- Shopping Word Search
- Sports Facilities Word Search
- Sports Word Search
- Sushi Word Search
- Technology Word Search
- Time Word Search
- Town and City Word Search
- Travel Word Search
- Weather Word Search
- Work Word Search
- Clothes Word Puzzle
- Color Word Puzzle
- Communication Word Puzzle
- Easter Word Puzzle
- Education Word Puzzle
- Entertainment Word Puzzle
- Environment Word Puzzle
- Food Word Puzzle
- Health Word Puzzle
- Hobbies Word Puzzle
- Language Word Puzzle
- Medicine Word Puzzle
- Natural World Word Puzzle
- Technology Word Puzzle
- Time Word Puzzle
- Weather Word Puzzle
Cambridge English exams are designed for learners at all levels from the Elementary level Cambridge English: Key (KET) to the very advanced level Cambridge English: Proficiency (CPE). These exams give candidates proof of their ability to use English in a wide variety of contexts, relevant to work, study and leisure activities.