Past continuous use – Exercise 219

Drag each element from the list below to the right gap.

when she cut her finger.

when he ran out of petrol.

when she fell off the ladder.

when he was playing football.

when suddenly I fell asleep.

Susan was hanging a picture

The boy broke the window

I was reading the article “How to fall asleep quickly”

Grant was driving to his wedding

Nancy was cooking salad

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Past continuous with past simple

The past continuous tense often goes together with the past simple. The past continuous shows longer background action and the past simple — shorter action:

I was doing something when something happened.

Examples

I was having a shower when you rang the doorbell. was having — longer background action, rang — short action

Helen was cooking dinner when the children came back. was cooking — longer background action, came back — short action

It wasn't raining when I woke up. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. wasn't raining, was shining, were singing — longer background action, woke up — short action