Ampersand Lab

Foundation grammar · Lesson 13 · A2

I was doing (past continuous)

Use was/were + -ing for something that was in progress at a time in the past. It had started, and it had not yet finished.

Start the lesson

12Steps · about 20 minutes

In this lesson

In the middle of something, in the pastA4 screens of questions
The form: was/were + -ingB2 screens of questions
am/is/are + -ing becomes was/were + -ingC1 screen of questions

Point A of 3

In the middle of something, in the past

It is 8 o'clock in the evening. Owen is at home. He is cooking his tea.

At 6 o'clock he was not at home. He was at the pool. He was swimming. He was not cooking, which is just as well, because he was in the water.

He started swimming at 5.30 and stopped at 6.30. At 6 o'clock he was in the middle of it.

5.30 6.00 6.30
he started swimming he was swimming he stopped swimming
  • At 6 o'clock Owen was at the pool.
  • He was swimming.
  • He wasn't cooking.

Point A · Exercise 13.1 · part 1 of 2

Where were these people at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and what were they doing? Write two sentences for each one. For number 6, write about yourself.

  1. Example

    At 3 o'clock yesterday Bev was at the library, reading a newspaper.

    Bev (the library / read a newspaper)

    Bev was at the library. She was reading a newspaper.

    AnswerBev was at the library. She was reading a newspaper.

  2. At 3 o'clock yesterday Dan and Priya were at the swimming pool, in the water.

    Dan and Priya (the swimming pool / swim)

  3. At 3 o'clock yesterday Gareth was in his van on the motorway, at the wheel.

    Gareth (his van / drive)

  4. At 3 o'clock yesterday Shona was standing at the bus stop, looking down the road for the number 42.

    Shona (the bus stop / wait for a bus)

  5. At 3 o'clock yesterday Mr and Mrs Okafor were on the beach, walking along by the sea.

    Mr and Mrs Okafor (the beach / walk)

Point A · Exercise 13.1 · part 2 of 2

Where were these people at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon, and what were they doing? Write two sentences for each one. For number 6, write about yourself.

  1. And you? Where were you at 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon? What were you doing?

Point A · Exercise 13.2 · part 1 of 2

Nadia was very busy yesterday morning. This is what she did: 8.00 to 8.20, yoga; 8.30 to 9.15, walking the dog; 9.30 to 10.00, ironing her shirts; 10.15 to 11.00, painting the fence; 11.30 to 12.00, swimming; 12.30 to 1.00, making lunch. Complete the sentences.

  1. Example

    At 9.45 she was ironing her shirts.

    AnswerAt 9.45 she was ironing her shirts.

  2. At 11.45 she .

  3. At 9 o'clock .

  4. At 12.50 .

  5. At 8.15 .

Point A · Exercise 13.2 · part 2 of 2

Nadia was very busy yesterday morning. This is what she did: 8.00 to 8.20, yoga; 8.30 to 9.15, walking the dog; 9.30 to 10.00, ironing her shirts; 10.15 to 11.00, painting the fence; 11.30 to 12.00, swimming; 12.30 to 1.00, making lunch. Complete the sentences.

  1. At 10.30 .

Point B of 3

The form: was/were + -ing

was/were + -ing is the past continuous.

positive negative question
I / he / she / it was working was not (wasn't) working was I / he / she / it working?
we / you / they were working were not (weren't) working were we / you / they working?

Spelling: live → living, run → running, lie → lying.

  • What were you doing at half past ten last night? Were you studying?
  • "What did the driver say?" "No idea. I wasn't listening."
  • It was snowing, so we stayed in.
  • In 2015 my sister was living in Glasgow.
  • Today he's wearing a suit, but yesterday he was wearing shorts.
  • I got up early on Sunday. It was a lovely morning. The sun was coming up and the birds were singing.

Point B · Exercise 13.4 · part 1 of 2

You saw Megan at the coach station yesterday evening. What was she doing? Write positive or negative sentences.

  1. Example

    Megan is standing at the coach station. She has a rucksack on her back and headphones on. She is eating a bag of crisps. She has a scarf round her neck but no coat. It is not raining. She says to a friend: "I'm off to Whitby for the weekend!"

    (wear / a coat)

    She wasn't wearing a coat.

    AnswerShe wasn't wearing a coat.

  2. (carry / a rucksack)

  3. (go / to work)

  4. (eat / crisps)

  5. (hold / an umbrella)

Point B · Exercise 13.4 · part 2 of 2

You saw Megan at the coach station yesterday evening. What was she doing? Write positive or negative sentences.

  1. (go / away for the weekend)

  2. (wear / a scarf)

  3. (listen / to music)

Point C of 3

am/is/are + -ing becomes was/were + -ing

The present continuous is am/is/are + -ing. Move it into the past and it becomes was/were + -ing.

present (now) past
I'm working. I was working at 11 o'clock last night.
It isn't snowing. It wasn't snowing when we left.
What are you doing? What were you doing at four o'clock?
  • I'm reading. / I was reading when you rang.
  • They aren't playing. / They weren't playing at the time.
  • Where are you going? / Where were you going when I saw you?

Point C · Exercise 13.3

Complete the questions with was/were + -ing. Use what, where or why where the answer requires it.

  1. Example

    (you / work) Where were you working in 2019? In a bakery in Hull.

    AnswerWhere were you working in 2019? In a bakery in Hull.

  2. (you / do) at midnight? I was watching a film.

  3. (it / snow) when you left the house? No, it was just cold.

  4. (Kieran / shout) at the referee? Because he was angry about the penalty.

  5. (your mum / wear) her glasses? No, she'd left them at home.

Lesson 13 · Result

How you did

Next lesson: I was doing (past continuous) and I did (past simple)Back to the course

–Right

Each point

A. In the middle of something, in the past–Not checkedB. The form: was/were + -ing–Not checkedC. am/is/are + -ing becomes was/were + -ing–Not checked