Past Continuous Tense Worksheet

Name: ____________________________
Class: ____________________________
Date: ____________________________

Quick Review

The past continuous tense describes an action that was happening at a particular time in the past.

Structure:
Subject + was/were + verb-ing

Examples:

• I was reading a book.
• They were playing football.

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A. Fill in the Blanks

Complete each sentence using the past continuous form of the verb in brackets.

1. I __________ a book. (read)
2. She __________ dinner. (cook)
3. They __________ football. (play)
4. We __________ television. (watch)
5. He __________ to music. (listen)
6. The baby __________. (sleep)
7. You __________ very fast. (run)
8. The birds __________ in the sky. (fly)
9. Riya __________ a letter. (write)
10. The children __________ in the park. (play)

B. Choose Was or Were

11. I ________ studying for the test.
12. She ________ singing a song.
13. They ________ walking home.
14. We ________ having lunch.
15. He ________ playing cricket.
16. You ________ watching a movie.
17. The dog ________ barking.
18. The girls ________ dancing.
19. My father ________ reading the newspaper.
20. Tom and Sam ________ swimming.

C. Change into Past Continuous

Rewrite each sentence in the past continuous tense.

21. I read a book.
    → ______________________________________________
22. She cooks dinner.
    → ______________________________________________
23. They play football.
    → ______________________________________________
24. He watches television.
    → ______________________________________________
25. We clean the room.
    → ______________________________________________
26. The baby sleeps.
    → ______________________________________________
27. The children draw pictures.
    → ______________________________________________
28. Rohan writes a letter.
    → ______________________________________________
29. Birds fly in the sky.
    → ______________________________________________
30. Mother washes the clothes.
    → ______________________________________________

D. Make Negative Sentences

Change each sentence into the negative form.

31. I was reading a book.
    → ______________________________________________
32. She was cooking dinner.
    → ______________________________________________
33. They were playing outside.
    → ______________________________________________
34. He was watching television.
    → ______________________________________________
35. We were studying English.
    → ______________________________________________
36. The children were making noise.
    → ______________________________________________
37. You were listening to music.
    → ______________________________________________
38. The dog was sleeping.
    → ______________________________________________

E. Make Questions

Rewrite each sentence as a question.

39. She was reading a book.
    → ______________________________________________
40. They were playing cricket.
    → ______________________________________________
41. He was eating lunch.
    → ______________________________________________
42. You were watching television.
    → ______________________________________________
43. We were studying English.
    → ______________________________________________
44. The baby was sleeping.
    → ______________________________________________
45. The boys were running.
    → ______________________________________________

F. Choose the Correct Answer

46. I ________ sleeping at 10 p.m.
    a) was
    b) were
    c) am
47. They ________ playing chess.
    a) was
    b) were
    c) is
48. She was ________ a letter.
    a) write
    b) wrote
    c) writing
49. We were ________ dinner.
    a) eating
    b) ate
    c) eat
50. He ________ watching a movie.
    a) were
    b) was
    c) are
51. The children were ________ in the garden.
    a) play
    b) playing
    c) played
52. You ________ listening to music.
    a) was
    b) were
    c) is

G. Correct the Sentences

Find and correct the mistake.

53. I were reading a book.
    → ______________________________________________
54. She were cooking dinner.
    → ______________________________________________
55. They was playing football.
    → ______________________________________________
56. He was play cricket.
    → ______________________________________________
57. We was watching TV.
    → ______________________________________________
58. The girls was dancing.
    → ______________________________________________
59. You was writing a letter.
    → ______________________________________________
60. The baby were sleeping.
    → ______________________________________________

H. Complete the Sentences

61. At 7 o’clock yesterday, I __________________________.
62. Yesterday evening, my mother ______________________.
63. Last Sunday, we _________________________________.
64. At this time yesterday, my friends __________________.
65. While I was studying, _____________________________.

I. True or False

66. “Was” is used with I, he, she, and it. __________
67. “Were” is used with they, we, and you. __________
68. Past continuous uses a verb ending in -ing. __________
69. “They was playing” is grammatically correct. __________
70. “She was singing” is in the past continuous tense. __________

Total Questions: 70

Answer Key — Past Continuous Tense Worksheet

A. Fill in the Blanks

1. was reading
2. was cooking
3. were playing
4. were watching
5. was listening
6. was sleeping
7. were running
8. were flying
9. was writing
10. were playing

B. Choose Was or Were

11. was
12. was
13. were
14. were
15. was
16. were
17. was
18. were
19. was
20. were

C. Change into Past Continuous

21. I was reading a book.
22. She was cooking dinner.
23. They were playing football.
24. He was watching television.
25. We were cleaning the room.
26. The baby was sleeping.
27. The children were drawing pictures.
28. Rohan was writing a letter.
29. Birds were flying in the sky.
30. Mother was washing the clothes.

D. Make Negative Sentences

31. I was not reading a book.
32. She was not cooking dinner.
33. They were not playing outside.
34. He was not watching television.
35. We were not studying English.
36. The children were not making noise.
37. You were not listening to music.
38. The dog was not sleeping.

E. Make Questions

39. Was she reading a book?
40. Were they playing cricket?
41. Was he eating lunch?
42. Were you watching television?
43. Were we studying English?
44. Was the baby sleeping?
45. Were the boys running?

F. Choose the Correct Answer

46. a) was
47. b) were
48. c) writing
49. a) eating
50. b) was
51. b) playing
52. b) were

G. Correct the Sentences

53. I was reading a book.
54. She was cooking dinner.
55. They were playing football.
56. He was playing cricket.
57. We were watching TV.
58. The girls were dancing.
59. You were writing a letter.
60. The baby was sleeping.

H. Complete the Sentences

Sample answers:

61. At 7 o’clock yesterday, I was having dinner.
62. Yesterday evening, my mother was cooking dinner.
63. Last Sunday, we were visiting our grandparents.
64. At this time yesterday, my friends were playing outside.
65. While I was studying, my brother was watching television.

Answers may vary for 61–65.

I. True or False

66. True
67. True
68. True
69. False
70. True