Past Progressive – Free Exercise

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Exercises

Yesterday at nine o’clock, these people were right in the middle of doing something. What were they doing?
Type in the verbs in the Past Progressive.

  1. Richard (work)   on his computer at 9 o’clock yesterday.one person → was|verb + ing
  2. Lucy and Tom (have)   dinner.several people → were|e at the end of a word is removed when adding ing: have → having
  3. I (read)   an article in the newspaper.one person → was|verb + ing
  4. The children (watch)   a film on TV at that time.several people → were|verb + ing
  5. Paula (chat)   on the phone with a friend.one person → was|final consonant after a short stressed vowel is doubled when adding ing: chat → chatting

Complete the sentences with the past progressive of the verbs in brackets.

  1. When I came into the living room, the cats (sit)   on the table.the cats → were|final consonant is doubled after a short stressed vowel: sit → sitting
  2. I could tell by his eyes that he (lie)   to me.he → was|ie becomes y when adding ing.
  3. We (play)   Monopoly when our neighbours rang at the door.we → were|verb + ing
  4. Helen (listen)   to the radio when she heard a strange noise in the garden.Helen → was|verb + ing
  5. I (prepare)   dinner yesterday when I noticed that the cooker (work/not)  .I/the cooker → was|prepare: e at the end of a word is removed when adding ing.

Write questions in the Past Progressive.

  1. (what/do/you)   yesterday at six?you → were|verb + ing
  2. (Jane/practise)   the piano when you came home?Jane → was|e at the end of a word is removed when adding ing|American spelling also possible: practice → practicing
  3. (who/talk/to you)   when I saw you last night?who → was|verb + ing
  4. (what/discuss/they)   when she went over to them?they → were|verb + ing
  5. (type/she)   a message when you interrupted her?she → was|e at the end of a word is removed when adding ing