Narrative tenses
Let’s get started
with Past Continuous
Match Past Continuous sentences with the correct uses.
SAMPLE SENTENCES: USES OF PAST CONTINUOUS:
A. I was washing the dishes when my 1. Describing a scene in a story
mom called.
We were living in Berlin at the 2. Describing two actions happening
B. at the same time in the past
time.
What were you doing at 8pm Describing a past action in progress
3.
C. yesterday? interrupted by another event
While I was playing computer Describing an action in progress at
4. a specific time in the past
D. games, my girlfriend was reading a
book. Describing temporary situations in
5. the past
It was a nice day and the sun was
E. shining. We were sitting in our
garden.
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Let’s check the answers.
SAMPLE SENTENCES: USES OF PAST CONTINUOUS:
A. I was washing the dishes when my 1. Describing a scene in a story
mom called.
We were living in Berlin at the 2. Describing two actions happening
B. at the same time in the past
time.
What were you doing at 8pm Describing a past action in progress
3.
C. yesterday? interrupted by another event
While I was playing computer Describing an action in progress at
4. a specific time in the past
D. games, my girlfriend was reading a
book. Describing temporary situations in
5. the past
It was a nice day and the sun was
E. shining. We were sitting in our
garden.
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Now, write five sentences representing the different uses of Past Continuous.
Each sentence should include two verbs from the box.
EXAMPLE When I was driving to work, my boss called to tell me some good news.
USES OF PAST CONTINUOUS:
buy call decide
1. Describing a scene in a story
drive fall find
2. Describing two actions happening at
the same time in the past hear look for meet
Describing a past action in progress
3. see sing sit
interrupted by another event
Describing an action in progress at a rain read ride
4. specific time in the past
Describing temporary situations in the walk wash watch
5. past
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Let’s practise Past Perfect!
Look at the sentences below and decide which action happened first.
EXAMPLE I didn’t pass my exam because I hadn’t studied at all.
2nd action 1st action
A. When I came back home, I realized that my car had been stolen.
B. We hadn’t booked the table, so we had to stand in a long queue waiting for a table.
C. When I got to work, the meeting had already finished.
D. I missed my train because I had overslept.
E. I left home, got into the car, and drove to work.
F. We hadn’t done the shopping, so we ordered a pizza.
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Studying the sentences again, choose the correct options in the rules below.
A. When I came back home, I realized that my car had been stolen.
B. We hadn’t booked the table, so we had to stand in a long queue waiting for a table.
C. When I got to work, the meeting had already finished.
D. I missed my train because I had overslept.
E. I left home, got into the car, and drove to work.
F. We hadn’t done the shopping, so we ordered a pizza.
RULES:
● We use Past Perfect to show which action happened first/second
● We use Past Simple/Past Perfect when actions happen immediately after each other
● We use Past Simple/Past Perfect to give a reason for some event
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Let’s check the answers.
A. When I came back home, I realized that my car had been stolen.
B. We hadn’t booked the table, so we had to stand in a long queue waiting for a table.
C. When I got to work, the meeting had already finished.
D. I missed my train because I had overslept.
E. I left home, got into the car, and drove to work.
F. We hadn’t done the shopping, so we ordered a pizza.
RULES:
● We use Past Perfect to show which action happened first/second
● We use Past Simple/Past Perfect when actions happen immediately after each other
● We use Past Simple/Past Perfect to give a reason for some event
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Using Past Simple and Past Perfect, write sentences with the words in the boxes.
already because realize so when
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Complete the story below using Past Simple, Past Continuous and Past Perfect,
and the verbs in brackets.
It was a nice day and the sun ______ (shine). I was quite embarrassed and the guy from
I _______ (watch) the news when my dog got the food truck wanted his money. I told him I
up and went to the door. Time for a walk. I didn’t have my wallet with me and I’d be back
_____ (put) on my jacket, _____(take) my phone in 15 minutes with his money. He agreed but
and ____ (leave) home. We went to the park. asked me to leave something as a guarantee.
While my dog _________ (run) around, I decided to leave him my watch. I got home,
I __________ (talk) on the phone with a friend. took some money, and went back to pay for
After some time, I got hungry so I went to a my hotdog. When I ______(get) there, the
nearby food truck and ordered a hotdog. When food truck ____ (already leave) together with
it was ready, I wanted to pay but I realized that my watch.
I ______ (not take) my wallet.
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Let’s check the answers.
It was a nice day and the sun was shining. I was I was quite embarrassed and the guy from the
watching the news when my dog got up and went to food truck wanted his money. I told him I
the door. Time for a walk. I put on my jacket, took my didn’t have my wallet with me and I’d be back
phone and left home. We went to the park. in 15 minutes with his money. He agreed but
While my dog was running around, I was talking on asked me to leave something as a guarantee. I
the phone with a friend. After some time, I got decided to leave him my watch. I got home,
took some money, and went back to pay for my
hungry so I went to a nearby food truck and ordered a
hotdog. When I got there, the food truck had
hotdog. When it was ready, I wanted to pay but I
already left together with my watch.
realized that I hadn’t taken my wallet.
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Now, we’ll put it into practice!
ESL Brains
Work in pairs or groups. Come up with a story together. The first person builds a
few sentences connected with the first two images. The next person continues the
story by building more sentences based on the next two images.
EXAMPLE It was a nice day and the sun was
shining. I was watching the news
when my dog got up and went to the
door. Time for a walk.
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Start the story using the images below.
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Continue the story using the images below.
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Continue the story using the images below.
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Continue the story using the images below.
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Finish the story now. That’s the last set of images!
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THANKS!
