The past continuous tense is used to describe actions or situations that were happening at a specific moment in the past. It combines the past tense of the verb to be (was/were) with the base form of the main verb + -ing. This tense is essential for expressing ongoing actions, interruptions, or simultaneous events in the past. In this article, you will find multiple-choice questions that will help test your understanding of the past continuous tense. These questions cover various scenarios, offering a fun and engaging way to reinforce your knowledge of this important grammatical structure.
Grammar Quiz
Past continuous tense
- What ___ you ___ when I called?
- (a) were / doing
- (b) did / do
- They ___ TV at 8 PM last night.
- (a) were watching
- (b) watched
- ___ you ___ to music while you were working?
- (a) Were / listening
- (b) Did / listen
- She _____ her homework when her friend visited.
- (a) was doing
- (b) did
- When the lights went out?
- (a) Were / sleeping
- (b) Did / sleep
- We played volleyball when it started raining.
- (a) were playing
- (b) played
- ___ he ___ his room when you arrived?
- (a) Was / cleaning
- (b) Did / clean
- They went for a walk when it began to snow.
- (a) were going
- (b) went
- What ___ she ___ when you last saw her?
- (a) was / doing
- (b) did / do
- I ___ my lunch at 1 PM yesterday.
- (a) was eating
- (b) ate
- ___ you ___ when the accident happened?
- (a) Were / driving
- (b) Did / drive
- He was in the garden when it started raining.
- (a) was working
- (b) worked
- What ___ they ___ at the party last night?
- (a) were wearing
- (b) did / wear
- She read a book when her phone rang.
- (a) was reading
- (b) read
- They ___ basketball when it got dark.
- (a) were playing
- (b) played
- When did he ___?
- (a) Was / sleeping
- (b) Did / sleep
- We ___ when the teacher entered the room.
- (a) were studying
- (b) studied
- She ___ her hair when the phone rang.
- (a) was washing
- (b) washed
- Did they do their homework when the power went out?
- (a) Were / doing
- (b) Did / do
- He was in the park when he saw his friend.
- (a) was walking
- (b) walked
- She _____ when the guests arrived.
- (a) was cooking
- (b) cooked
- ___ they ___ when you arrived at the party?
- (a) Were / dancing
- (b) Did / dance
- I ___ when you called me.
- (a) was sleeping
- (b) slept
- We had our lunch when it started raining.
- (a) were eating
- (b) ate
- What ___ you ___ when the earthquake struck?
- (a) were / doing
- (b) did / do
- She made a movie when I saw her yesterday.
- (a) was watching
- (b) watched
- Did he do his homework at 8 PM last night?
- (a) Was / doing
- (b) Did / do
- They ___ when the fire alarm went off.
- (a) were sleeping
- (b) slept
- She _____ her dog when it started barking loudly.
- (a) was walking
- (b) walked
- ___ you ___ when the thunderstorm began?
- (a) Were / sleeping
- (b) Did / sleep
- He ___ when the phone rang.
- (a) was studying
- (b) studied
- We had a birthday party last weekend.
- (a) were attending
- (b) attended
- She _____ her room when her friends arrived.
- (a) was cleaning
- (b) cleaned
- What ___ they ___ at the park yesterday?
- (a) were / doing
- (b) did / do
- They did their homework when the teacher entered the classroom.
- (a) were finishing
- (b) finished
- He _____ a sandwich when his friend called him.
- (a) was eating
- (b) ate
- ___ she ___ when you saw her at the mall?
- (a) Was / shopping
- (b) Did / shop
- They played basketball when it started raining.
- (a) were playing
- (b) played
- She ___ when she saw the accident.
- (a) was driving
- (b) drove
- What ___ he ___ when you last spoke to him?
- (a) was / doing
- (b) did / do
- They ___ TV when the power went out.
- (a) were watching
- (b) watched
- He did his homework when his friend called him.
- (a) was doing
- (b) did
- ___ they ___ when the earthquake hit?
- (a) Were / sleeping
- (b) Did / sleep
- She made a cake when I visited her.
- (a) was baking
- (b) baked
- They played football in the park yesterday.
- (a) were playing
- (b) played
- When did he ___?
- (a) Was / studying
- (b) Did / study
- We _____ our homework when the internet stopped working.
- (a) were doing
- (b) did
- She ___ when her friend arrived.
- (a) was sleeping
- (b) slept
- When did they ___ when the teacher entered the classroom?
- (a) Were / talking
- (b) Did / talk
- He was on a bike when it started raining.
- (a) was riding
- (b) rode
Answer:
- (a) were / doing
- (a) were watching
- (a) Were / listening
- (a) was doing
- (a) Were / sleeping
- (a) were playing
- (a) Was / cleaning
- (a) were going
- (a) was / doing
- (a) was eating
- (a) Were / driving
- (a) was working
- (a) were wearing
- (a) was reading
- (a) were playing
- (a) Was / sleeping
- (a) were studying
- (a) was washing
- (a) Were / doing
- (a) was walking
- (a) was cooking
- (a) Were / dancing
- (a) was sleeping
- (a) were eating
- (a) were / doing
- (a) was watching
- (a) Was / doing
- (a) were sleeping
- (a) was walking
- (a) Were / sleeping
- (a) was studying
- (a) were attending
- (a) was cleaning
- (a) were / doing
- (a) were finishing
- (a) was eating
- (a) Was / shopping
- (a) were playing
- (a) was driving
- (a) was / doing
- (a) were watching
- (a) was doing
- (a) Were / sleeping
- (a) was baking
- (a) were playing
- (a) Was / studying
- (a) were doing
- (a) was sleeping
- (a) Were / talking
- (a) was riding