Past Progressive (Beginners)

Use:

1. For a single action in progress in the past at a definite moment or time.

She was reading at 5 yesterday.

2. For an action in progress in the past when it was interrupted by another past action.

She was reading when I called her.

3. For two or more simultaneous past actions.

She was reading when I was sleeping.

4. To describe the atmosphere in a story.

Mum was cooking, dad was vacuuming and Sarah was playing with her toys.

Structure:

In statements “+”:

Noun/pronoun
was/were
Verb +ing

We were running.

In questions “?”:

Was/were
Noun/pronoun
Verb +ing

Were you running at 5 yesterday?

In negations “-“:

Noun/pronoun
was/were
not
Verb+ing

We were not running at 5 yesterday.

Exercise 1:

Put the following verbs in the past progressive tense in statements, questions and negations with different pronouns (please use the exact time – e. g. 6 o’clock):

For example – I was sleeping at 4. She wasn’t sleeping at 7. Were you sleeping at 2?

Sleep -спать, dance - танцевать, sing - петь, lie – лежать; лгать, eat - кушать, hide - прятаться, speak - разговаривать, shout - кричать, run - бегать, cry - плакать, smile - улыбаться, laugh - смеяться, sit - сидеть, stand - стоять, buy - покупать, sell - продавать, argue - ссориться, make up - мириться, play - играть, catch - ловить, throw - бросать.

Exercise 2:

Put the same verbs in the past progressive tense in statements, questions and negations with different pronouns using the additional information – when he came or when she rang.

For example:

I was dancing when he came. We weren’t dancing when she rang. Were you dancing when he came?

Exercise 3:

Use the adverbs when, while and as translating the following sentences:

Когда он пел, она танцевала.
Когда они лежали, мы сидели.
Мы покупали, а они продавали.
Я бросала, а он ловил.
Когда мы ссорились, они плакали.
Когда мы мирились, они улыбались.
Я бегала, а он смеялся.
Я пряталась, а ты кричал.
Вы пели, а я стояла.
Ты разговаривал, а я кричала.
Он ел, а она спала.