MUET Grammar

Past Continuous Tense

RULE 1: An action that was going on or being carried on in the past

At 6 p.m. yesterday, they were waiting for a taxi outside the mall. This afternoon, Eric was playing tennis with Shan. Now he is cleaning his motorbike. This morning, she was listening to music in her room.

RULE 2: In past continuous tense, the verb to be changes to simple past tense.
Present Continuous Tense Pronouns Simple present tense of the verb to be + base form of verb + ing am resting now Past Continuous Tense Simple past tense of the verb to be + base form of verb + ing was resting just now

He/She/It

is sleeping now

was sleeping just now

We/You/They

are working now

were working just now

PRACTICE 1: Complete the sentences using the simple present, present continuous, simple past and past continuous tense form of the words given.
1. Coconut trees usually _ (grow) along the coast. 2. He _ (write) an article at this moment. 3. Please dont disturb me. I _ (study) for my exams. 4. Dad _ (repair) my bicycle all yesterday afternoon. 5. I _ (talk) to Nina on the phone when the doorbell rang. 6. At 11 oclock last night, we _ (enjoy) ourselves at the party. 7. We _ (fall) sick after playing football in the rain yesterday. 8. Mum _ (hurry) to the bank right now. 9. The farmer usually _ (feed) his animals early in the morning. 10. Look outside! The children _ (climb) that tree!

ANSWER KEY
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Coconut trees usually grow along the coast. He is writing an article at this moment. Please dont disturb me. I am studying for my exams. Dad was repairing my bicycle all yesterday afternoon. I was talking to Nina on the phone when the doorbell rang. At 11 oclock last night, we were enjoying ourselves at the party. 7. We fell sick after playing football in the rain yesterday. 8. Mum is hurrying to the bank right now. 9. The farmer usually feeds his animals early in the morning. 10. Look outside! The children are climbing that tree!

PRACTICE 2: Fill in the blanks with the correct forms of the verbs below.
destroy prune run spray stand lend make search spread tap

1. I _ in the queue at the taxi stand for one hour yesterday. 2. Mum usually _ me a mug of hot chocolate and toast before I drive to work. 3. Shirley _ an advertising agency. She is the chief executive of the firm. 4. Security forces _ for the terrorist leader who bombed the police station. 5. Helen _ the rose bushes in her garden at about 5 p.m. yesterday. 6. The viral infection _ throughout the country last year. 7. A woodpecker _ on our windowpane all night. 8. Sandra _ me some money to pay for the books last week. 9. Dad _ water on the car to wash off the dirt. 10. Last week, forest fires in the U.S. _ thousands of acres of valuable timber.

ANSWER KEY
1. I stood/was standing in the queue at the taxi stand for one hour yesterday. 2. Mum usually makes me a mug of hot chocolate and toast before I drive to work. 3. Shirley runs/is running an advertising agency. She is the chief executive of the firm. 4. Security forces are searching for the terrorist leader who bombed the police station. 5. Helen was pruning the rose bushes in her garden at about 5 p.m. yesterday. 6. The viral infection spread throughout the country last year. 7. A woodpecker was tapping/tapped on our windowpane all night. 8. Sandra lent me some money to pay for the books last week. 9. Dad is spraying water on the car to wash off the dirt. 10. Last week, forest fires in the U.S. destroyed thousands of acres of valuable timber.