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• Past continuous: questions
• Past simple and past continuous
I can talk about travel.
Past continuous: questions
1. Match questions 1-4 with answers a-d. Then complete the rule.
1. Was the squirrel eating flowers? a. No, it wasn't.
2. Were the two men posing? b. Steve's friend.
3. What were the men doing? c. Yes, they were.
4. Who was skiing? d. They were using a computer.
| RULE |
| We form past continuous questions with: (question word) + (1) _______ or (2) _______ + subject + -ing form. |
2. Write questions and answers using the past continuous.
the men / ride / horses? X
Were the men riding horses? No, they weren't.
1. the squirrel / eat / nuts ? ✓
2. where / your friends / travel this time last year ? (in Canada)
3. what / you / do / last night at 8 p.m. ? (watch TV)
4. Maria / swim / in a river ? X
5. who / you / talk to / after class yesterday ? (Mary)
3. 🎧1.44 PRONUNCIATION Word stress in questions.
Listen. Which words are stressed in each phrase? Listen again and repeat.
1. Were you sleeping at 7 a.m. yesterday?
2. Was your mum listening to music at 8 p.m. last night?
3. What were you doing on Sunday morning?
4. Who were you talking to before class this morning?
4. Work in pairs. Ask and answer the questions from exercise 3. Make true answers.
Were you sleeping at 7 a.m. yesterday?
Yes, I was.
Past simple and past continuous
5. Study the sentences. Then complete the Rules with past simple and past continuous.
I saw this squirrel while I was photographing flowers in a park.
I was photographing flowers when I saw this squirrel.
| RULES |
| 1. We use the (1) _______ for longer actions in progress and the (2) _______ for shorter actions. 2. We often use when before the (3) _______ and while before the (4) _______ |
6. Complete the sentences using the past simple and past continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
We saw (see) the Pyramids while we were visiting (visit) Egypt.
1. I _______ (take) photos of my friend while we _______ (cycle).
2. She _______ (climb) when she _______ (have) an accident.
3. We _______ (take) photos of elephants while we _______ (travel) across Đắk Lắk.
4. My parents _______ (not sleep) when _______ (get) home late last night.
7. 
USE IT! Work in pairs. Imagine you travelled around the world. Talk about things you did using the past simple and past continuous. Use the ideas in the table and your own ideas.
I saw a tiger while I was visiting India.
| buy climb eat meet see speak take | while | stay visit work |
Finished?
Imagine you travelled around Việt Nam. Write a diary (60-80 words) about what you did.
