Past Continuous Tense interrogative examples worksheets

Past Continuous Tense interrogative examples

The Past Continuous Tense is formed by using the past tense of the verb “to be” (was/were) and adding the present participle of the main verb, which is formed by adding “-ing” to the base verb. When asking questions in the Past Continuous Tense, the word order typically follows the structure of “was/were + subject + present participle.”

Example 1: Was Sarah watching TV when I called her?

• In this example, “Was” is the past tense of “to be,” and “watching” is the present participle of the main verb “watch.” The question asks whether Sarah was in the middle of watching TV when the speaker called her.

Example 2: Were they playing soccer at the park yesterday?

Past Continuous Tense interrogative examples worksheets

• “Were” is the past tense of “to be,” and “playing” is the present participle of the main verb “play.” The question inquires if they were engaged in a soccer game at the park on the previous day.

The Past Continuous Tense is often used to describe actions that were happening at a specific point in the past or actions that were occurring simultaneously with other past events. Interrogative sentences in the Past Continuous Tense are used to seek information about these ongoing actions. Here are some more examples:

3. What were you doing at 10 o’clock last night?

• This question is asking about the action or activities the person was involved in at a specific time in the past (10 o’clock last night).

4. Were they studying when the power went out?

• This question inquires whether “they” were in the middle of studying when the power outage occurred, suggesting a simultaneous action in the past.

5. Was he sleeping when the earthquake struck?

• This question asks if the person was in a state of sleep when the earthquake happened, indicating an ongoing action at a specific moment in the past.

6. Were you listening to music during the flight?

• The question seeks to know if the person was engaged in the activity of listening to music while on the plane, indicating an action that occurred simultaneously with the flight.

Past Continuous Tense interrogative examples worksheets

7. What were you thinking when you saw the accident?

• This question explores the person’s thoughts at the moment they witnessed the accident, emphasizing the ongoing mental process.

8. Were they chatting when I entered the room?

• The question asks whether “they” were in the process of chatting when the speaker entered the room, indicating simultaneous actions.

9. Was she cooking dinner when the guests arrived?

• This question checks whether the action of cooking dinner was in progress when the guests arrived, highlighting the timing of events.

10. What were the kids playing with in the yard yesterday afternoon?

• This question inquires about the children’s activities in the yard during a specific time in the past (yesterday afternoon).

Past Continuous Tense interrogative examples worksheets

In conclusion, the Past Continuous Tense is a valuable tool for asking questions about ongoing actions in the past. By using the appropriate form of “to be” (was/were) and the present participle of the main verb, you can create effective interrogative sentences to gain information about past events and actions. These questions help provide context and details about what was happening at a specific moment in the past.