3 ESO PAST SIMPLE vs PAST CONTINUOUS

PAST CONTINUOUSAffirmativeI/ He/ She/ ItWe/ You/ They

WasWere

Reading

NegativeI/ He/ She/ ItWe/ You/ They

Wasn’tWeren’t

Sleeping

EXERCISE 1: Fill in the gaps of the following sentences with the past continuous form of the verbs in brackets:

John………………………………(swim) in the sea.Jessica…………………………(watch) a film.They……………………………(NOT climb) a mountain.The athletes………………………(NOT run) around the stadium.The policemen ……………………………(train) their dogs.It ……………………………(rain) this morning.Pam and Joe ……………………………(NOT have) breakfast.We………………………(study) very hard for the exam.You……………………………………(NOT listen) to the radio.You………………………………(lie) on the couch.

EXERCISE 2: Sarah’s Diary Read Sarah’s diary and answer the questions below:

SATURDAY 14th

Dear diary,I had a great day! This morning I wentto the mountains with Sam and we had a very long walk. At two o’clock we had lunch. One hour later we took our bikes and cycled through the forest.At half past five we decided to go for a swim in the river. It was very cold, soI sunbathed instead. But Sam didn’t change his mind. At seven we gotinto the car and I drove back home.

INTERROGATIVEQuestionsWasWere

I/he/ she/ itwe/ you/ they

reading?sleeping

Wh- questionsWhat

What were they doing…

…in the morning?E.g. They were having a walk in the mountains.

…at two o’clock?

…two hours later?

…at half past five?Sam……………..........................................and Sarah…………….

…at seven?

WhenHowWhyWhere

was she reading?

EXERCISE 3: The muggingMrs Fidgety had a terrible day. Someone tried to steal her bag. But that wasn’t the end to her problems! Look at the comic strip and put the verbs in the correct tense:

Mrs Fidgety………………….(walk) down the street. She ………….(know) that a thief …………………(wait) behind the corner. When she ……………...(walk) past the corner, the thief …………….(assault) her. He………………..(take) her bag when suddenly a policeman……………(appear). She ………………….(pick up) her bag while the thief ……………(smile) at the policeman. They …………..(know) each other!They……………….(hug) when she…………..(leave) She……………..(go) to report them to the police station. They………………..(sit) in court when the judge………………..(enter) the room. She …………..(can, not) believe what she ………………..(see). They ……………(know) each other as well!

EXERCISE 4: It Wasn’t Me! (Role-play)

Imagine that you are the principal suspect of a crime. Someone broke in Mrs Roberts mansion and stole her jewels around 11 p.m. last night.

Your partner will be the police officer. Then exchange roles.

Role-play 1

SUSPECT

THIS IS YOUR ALIBI

You are the gardener. You finished work late that night. You planted a tree in the garden at 8, and

then you cut the flowers until 9.30. Then you left. You arrived home at 10. Then you watched TV. At 11 your friend Tom phoned you. He wanted to go for a drink. You met him at the pub at midnight.

POLICE OFFICER

YOU WANT TO KNOW:

When/ finish work?What/ 8 p.m.?What/ 9.15?

What time/ home?What/ 10.45?Why/ pub?

When/ back home?

Role-play 2

SUSPECT

THIS IS YOUR ALIBI

You are the butler. The night of the robbery you were very busy: between 7 and 8 you cleaned the

house. At 8 you started to cook dinner. You served the soup at 9 o’clock. Then you washed the dishes

and by quarter to eleven you went to your bedroom, where you listened to loud music until midnight.

You didn’t hear anything.

POLICE OFFICER

YOU WANT TO KNOW:

What/ 7. 30?When/ cook?

What time/ serve?What/ 10.30?

What time/ bedroom?What/ do/ there?

Hear/ noise?