Past Continuous: Interrupted Actions

• CEFR A2–B1
• Grammar
• Printable
• Answer key

Past Continuous: Interrupted Actions is a printable grammar worksheet for English language learners at CEFR level A2–B1. It covers was / were + -ing with past simple interruptions, with 5 exercises and an answer key.

Use the past continuous for an action in progress at a time in the past.

Use the past simple for the shorter action that interrupted it.

Use while before the longer action and when before the shorter action.

Examples

• I was sleeping when you called.
• They were playing football when it started to rain.
• While I was cooking, my brother arrived.
• She was not listening when I gave the answer.
• Were you studying at eight o clock?
• He fell while he was running.
• We were waiting for the bus when we saw Anna.
• The baby was crying while I was trying to work.

What's in this worksheet

1. Complete the sentences
2. Correct the mistake
3. Past simple or past continuous
4. Join with when or while
5. Memory challenge

Common mistakes

• I was watch TV when she arrived.  →  I was watching TV when she arrived. Use was / were + -ing.
• They was playing football.  →  They were playing football. Use were with they.
• I cooked when the phone rang.  →  I was cooking when the phone rang. Use past continuous for the action already in progress.
• When I was walking home, it was started to rain.  →  When I was walking home, it started to rain. Use past simple for the short interruption.

Speaking prompts

• What were you doing when you last received a surprising message?
• What were you doing when it last rained heavily?
• What happened while you were coming to class today?
• What were people doing before the last lesson started?