Past Continuous Verb Tense: Yes/No Questions We use the past continuous tense to talk about actions or events that happened or continued for a certain amount of time in the past. Look at three examples. This is a classic urban legend story (I´ve created a simplified version) about students who lie when they miss an exam, and the teacher´s excellent revenge! It´s a great way to practice Past Simple vs. Past Continuous, as well as remind the students to study, not cheat!;) There are 3 questions for each tense, but of course more questions can be made. Questions with question words in the Past Perfect Continuous ► Use had with all persons. ► Use the past participle of be: been ► Add –ing to the infinitive.

Level: beginner

The past continuous is made from the past tense of the verb be and the –ing form of a verb:

Past Perfect Continuous Esl Questions

We use the past continuous to talk about the past:

• for something which happened before and afteranother action:

The children were doing their homework when I got home.

Compare: The children did their homework when (= after) I got home.

This use of the past continuous is very common at the beginning of a story:

Twin usb joystick driver download. The other day I was waiting for a bus when …
Last week, as I was driving to work, …

• for something that happened before and aftera specific time:

It was eight o'clock. I was writing a letter.

Compare: At eight o'clock I wrote (= started writing) some letters.

• to show that something continued for some time:

My head was aching.
Everyone was shouting.

• for something that happened again and again:

I was practising every day, three times a day.
They were meeting secretly after school.
They were always quarrelling.

• with verbs which show change or growth:

The children were growing up quickly.
Her English was improving.
My hair was going grey.
The town was changing quickly.

We do not normally use the past continuous with stative verbs.We use the past simple instead:

When I got home, I really needed(NOT was needing) a shower.

Past continuous

Past continuous and past simple

Level: intermediate

Past continuous and hypotheses

We can also use the past continuous to refer to the present or future in hypotheses (when we imagine something). See these pages:

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Jane: Hello.

Police Officer: Hello Miss. I don't mean to bother you, but can I just ask you a few questions?

Jane: Sure.

Police officer: Yeah, there was a crime committed last night so we've been asking some of the locals . What were you doing at eight o’clock yesterday evening?

Past Continuous Conversation Questions

Jane: I was watching a movie.

Police officer: Hmm. What movie were you watching?

Jane: Twilight, the vampire movie.

Police officer: Really? What time was it playing?

Jane: I was watching it from 7 until 9. I was not robbing that old woman at 8 o’clock because I was watching the movie. Look, I watched the whole movie from start to finish.

Past Continuous Conversation Questions

Police officer: So, how do you know it was an old woman that got robbed?

Jane: Ahmm.

Past Simple Vs Past Continuous Conversation Questions

Past Continuous - Grammar Notes

1. I was watching TV when he arrived.
2. I was sleeping when cat woke me up.
3. They were waiting when we got there.
4. She was just telling me a joke.

1. As I was eating, a strange man approached me.
2. While I was living in Spain, I met my partner.
3. The children were fighting when I got home.
4. She was sleeping, so I tried to be quiet.

1. What were you doing at six last night?
2. I was eating dinner with my family.
3. Where were you this morning?
4. I was at home. I was helping my mother.

Past Continuous Conversation Questions Pdf

1. As I was just saying, you need to be more careful.
2. You know, I was just thinking the same thing.
3. He was just sitting here. Where is he now?
4. We were just leaving.

Past Continuous Esl Conversation Questions

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Past Perfect Continuous Conversation Questions

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