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This worksheet offers targeted practice of the past continuous tense, helping students use was/were + verb-ing to describe actions that were happening at a specific time in the past. The 15 fill-in-the-blank sentences feature spooky Halloween scenarios, providing a vivid context that supports both vocabulary and grammar development.

Ideal for upper elementary students, this worksheet reinforces understanding of ongoing past actions, verb agreement, and tense consistency. Teachers can use it for individual practice, small group work, or homework to help students narrate events with accurate past continuous forms.

Past Continuous Tense, v.ing, was, were

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Travel Worksheet: Past Continuous Tense for Describing Interrupted Actions

Name: _______________________

Date: _______________________

Instructions: Complete the exercises below using the past continuous tense to describe interrupted actions in the past. Part 1: Fill in the Blanks Complete the sentences using the past continuous tense of the verbs in parentheses.

1. While I ______________ (explore) the city, it ______________ (start) to rain.

2. We ______________ (take) a guided tour when the bus ______________ (break) down.

3. She ______________ (take) pictures of the monuments while her friends ______________ (shop) nearby.

4. They ______________ (enjoy) their dinner at the restaurant when the power ______________ (go) out.

5. He ______________ (relax) on the beach when someone ______________ (steal) his bag.

Part 2: Choose the Correct Option Select the correct verb form to complete each sentence.

1. We were having lunch when the tour guide __________ (was arriving / arrived).

2. She __________ (was looking / looked) at the map while they were waiting for the train.

3. The children __________ (were playing / played) at the park when it started to rain.

4. I __________ (was walking / walked) around the city center when I met an old friend.

5. They __________ (were booking / booked) their tickets when the website crashed.

Part 3: Rewrite the Sentences Rewrite the following sentences using the past continuous to show interrupted actions.

1. I visited the museum. I met some interesting people. o While I __________, I __________.

2. She was eating lunch. Her phone rang. o While she __________, __________.

3. They were hiking in the mountains. It started to snow. o While they __________, __________.

4. We were watching a movie. The fire alarm went off. o While we __________, __________.

5. He was reading a book. His friend called him. o While he __________, __________.

Part 4: Travel Story Write a short travel story (about 5-6 sentences) describing a situation where one action was interrupted by another. Use the past continuous tense in your story.

Part 5: Check Your Understanding Answer these questions about the past continuous tense.

1. When do we use the past continuous tense? o To describe actions that __________.

2. How do we form the past continuous tense? o We use __________ + __________ + __________.

3. Give an example sentence using the past continuous tense to describe an interrupted action.

Answer Key (for teacher reference): Part 1: 1. was exploring, started 2. were taking, broke 3. was taking, were shopping 4. were enjoying, went 5. was relaxing, stole Part 2: 1. arrived 2. was looking 3. were playing 4. was walking 5. were booking Part 3: 1. I was visiting the museum when I met some interesting people. 2. While she was eating lunch, her phone rang. 3. While they were hiking in the mountains, it started to snow. 4. While we were watching a movie, the fire alarm went off. 5. While he was reading a book, his friend called him. Part 4: (Students’ answers will vary. Ensure the past continuous is used correctly.) Part 5: 1. To describe actions that were in progress when another action occurred. 2. was/were + verb + -ing 3. Example: While I was exploring the city, I bumped into an old friend.

Read the sentences carefully and complete the exercises using the Past Continuous tense (was / were + V-ing).

• Present Simple Tense
  • Structure: Subject + base verb (s/es for he/she/it)
  • Example: "I work in an office." / "She goes to school every day."
• Present Continuous Tense
  • Structure: Subject + am/are/is + verb-ing
  • Example: "I am studying right now." / "They are playing football."
• Past Simple Tense
  • Structure: Subject + past form of verb
  • Example: "She visited the museum yesterday." / "I watched a movie last night."
• Past Continuous Tense
  • Structure: Subject + was/were + verb-ing
  • Example: "I was reading when the phone rang." / "They were sleeping at 10 PM."
• Future Simple Tense (will)
  • Structure: Subject + will + base verb
  • Example: "I will call you tomorrow." / "They will come to the party."
• Future with "going to"
  • Structure: Subject + am/are/is + going to + base verb
  • Example: "I’m going to visit my grandparents." / "He is going to study abroad."
• Present Perfect Simple
  • Structure: Subject + have/has + past participle
  • Example: "I have finished my homework." / "She has lived in this city for five years."
• Comparatives and Superlatives
  • Comparatives: Subject + verb + adjective + -er / more + adjective (for longer adjectives)
    • Example: "This book is cheaper than that one." / "She is more intelligent than him."
  • Superlatives: The + adjective + -est / most + adjective (for longer adjectives)
    • Example: "This is the tallest building." / "He is the most hardworking person."
• There is/There are
  • Structure: There + is/are + noun
  • Example: "There is a book on the table." / "There are many people in the park."
• Can (ability and permission)
  • Structure: Subject + can + base verb
  • Example: "I can swim." / "Can I go to the bathroom?"
• Some and Any
  • Some: Used in positive statements, offers, and requests.
    • Example: "I have some friends." / "Would you like some tea?"
  • Any: Used in negative statements and questions.
    • Example: "I don’t have any money." / "Do you have any pens?"
• First Conditional
  • Structure: If + present simple, will + base verb
  • Example: "If it rains, I will stay at home." / "If I see her, I will say hello."
• Second Conditional
  • Structure: If + past simple, would + base verb
  • Example: "If I were rich, I would travel the world." / "If she studied more, she would pass the exam."
• Prepositions of Place and Time
  • Examples: "in," "on," "at"
  • "The book is on the table." / "We have a meeting at 3 PM." / "I live in New York."
• Questions with Wh- words
  • Examples: "What," "Where," "When," "Why," "How"
  • "What is your name?" / "Where do you live?" / "How are you?"

Activities to practice was/were + verb "ing".

Activities to practice was/were + verb "ing".

ให้นักเรียนเติมคำกริยา ลงในช่องว่าง ให้เป็น past continuous คือ ประธาน + was/were + V. ing

Past Continuous 
was/were V+ing

This worksheet focuses on the past continuous tense (was/were + verb-ing), helping students describe ongoing past actions. The 15 fill-in-the-blank sentences immerse learners in fall settings: raking leaves, stirring soup, and howling wind.

The vivid autumn imagery supports comprehension while reinforcing verb agreement and tense consistency.

Perfect for narrative writing prep, centers, or guided practice, this worksheet helps students clearly describe what was happening during familiar fall activities, developing strong storytelling and descriptive skills.

Fill in the blanks with "was" or "were" and add "-ing" to the verb.