TIPS IN TENSE TENSION

The Present Simple Tense                 Spelling Tip

In the present simple 3rd person singular (he, she, it), add s, es, or ies to the base form of the verb.

• To regular verbs just add an s – Ex: travel >travels, give > gives, play >plays
• To verbs that end in s, ss, sh, ch, x, and o, add an es – Ex: wash > washes, mix > mixes, go >goes
• To verbs end in y after a consonant (any letter that isn’t a vowel), change the y to i and add es. Ex: study > studies, fly > flies

Sometimes the present simple tense doesn’t seem very simple. Here we will sort it all out for you!

We use the present simple tense to express the following ideas:

1. To state facts or general truths
2. To express habits or customs
3. To relate future plans (often regarding programs and timetables)
4. To tell jokes and stories or to report sporting events in real time.

Examples of the Present Simple

1. The sun sets in the west.
2. We produce lasers for cosmetic surgery.
3. They move into their new home next week.
4. So, I go to Mr. D and say “I deserve a better mark in this class”.
5. Jones stops in mid-court and passes the ball to Schuster.

Forming the Present Simple

Subject	verb	rest of sentence
I / You / We / They	sleep	late on Saturdays
He / She / It	goes	to the beach every weekend

Time Expressions in the Present Simple

The most common time expressions in the present simple are: usually, always, never, on Wednesdays, every Wednesday, twice a week, once a month, in general, every other day.

Time expressions made up of one word are placed between the subject and the verb in positive sentences and questions and between the auxiliary verb and main verb in negative sentences.

1. I always study hard for exams.
2. Do you usually speak to him like that?

Time expressions made up of two or more words are placed either at the beginning or the end of a sentence and usually at the end of questions.

1. Ben goes to football practice every Tuesday.
2. In general, I believe that all people can live in peace.
3. you go to the supermarket every week?

Negative Sentences in the Present Simple Tense             Spelling Tip

When shortening the 3rd person (he, she, it) negative, just remove the o in not and add an apostrophe (‘) does not > doesn’t

When creating negative sentences, we usually use the auxiliary verbs don’t and doesn’t + the base form of the verb.

Note: Save the long forms (do not, and does not) for when you want to create emphasis. When speaking, put the stress on ‘not’.

Subject	auxillery verb	verb in base form	rest of sentence
I / You / We / They	don’t (do not)	eat	late at night
He / She / It	doesn’t (does not)	watch	TV every day

1. I don’t like the food they serve at that restaurant.
2. Jim doesn’t work on Fridays.
3. My friends don’t usually leave so early.
4. I do not want to go with you!

Yes/No Questions in the Present Simple                Punctuation Tip

Always begin a sentence, question and wh-question with a capital letter:
He always does good work.
Do you like me?
What did they bring you?

To create a question that will be answered with a yes or no, start the question with Do or Does, then add a subject (the person or thing that does the action) followed by the base form of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.

Auxiliary Verb	subject	verb in base form	rest of sentence
Do	I / you / we / they	drive	to the city on Mondays
Does	he / she / it	break down	often

1. Do you surf the Internet every day?
2. Does your boss give you positive feedback?
3. Does Jonathan always turn off the lights?
4. Don’t you ever clean your room?

Note: In the Present Simple tense:

1. You may add a one-word time expression, such as ‘always’, ‘usually’, or ‘often’ between the subject and the verb.
2. You may use a negative question with a time expression such as ‘ever’.

Wh-Questions in the Present Simple

Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words are what, where, when, why, who, how, how many, how much.

To create a wh-question, start with the wh-word, then add do or does, then the subject (a person or thing that does the action), followed by the base form of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.

Wh-Word	Auxiliary Verb	Subject	Verb in Base Form	Rest of Sentence
What	do	I / you / we / they	want
Why	does	he / she / it	shout	at you

1. When do you want to meet me?
2. Why does Beth always complain so much?
3. How much does the ticket cost?
4. Why don’t you ever go on vacation?

Tag Questions in the Present Simple

Tag questions are those short questions that are tagged onto the end of a sentence. They are used just to make sure the person you’re talking to understood what you meant or to emphasize what you said.

They’re formed either by using a regular sentence in the present simple and adding don’t or doesn’t and a pronoun (I, you, we, they, he, she, it) and a question mark.

1. John likes me, doesn’t he?
2. All those girls speak French, don’t they?

You may also add a positive tag when you’re using a negative sentence.

1. Keisha doesn’t speak Spanish, does she
2. Those boys don’t play sports, do they?

As a rule: When the sentence is positive, the tag is negative.
When the sentence is negative, the tag is positive.

Exercises for the Present Simple

Fill in the correct form of the verb as in the examples.

1. Mark and Sara play squash twice a week. (play)
2. Sheila doesn’t do the family accounts. (not do) Her husband does them.
3. Does Gillian usually meet clients so late at night? (meet)

1. Every year his family ____________ to Europe for two weeks. (go)
2. Tammy and Jen ______________ a Pilates class on Wednesday mornings.(take)
3. __________ that airline __________ to Paris? (fly)
4. The semester _____________ until the end of June. (not finish)
5. Tony usually _________ to call his mother in the mornings. (try)
6. _______________ for your car expenses? (Who/pay)
7. The shops ___________ until 21:00. (not close)
8. Gerard _________ the ball and __________ it into the net. (receive/kick)
9. _________times a day _____ you _____ your dogs for a walk? (take)
10. ________ he always ________ his cell phone for long distance calls? (use)

Answers:

1. Goes    take     Does/fly          doesn’t finish    tries   Who pays        don’t close
2. receives/kicks              How many/do/take     Does/use

Examples – Present Simple                         Positive

1. The sun sets in the west.
2. We produce lasers for cosmetic surgery.
3. They move into their new home next week.
4. So, I go to Mr. D and say “I deserve a better mark in this class”.
5. Jones stops in mid-court and passes the ball to Schuster.
6. I always study hard for exams.
7. Do you usually speak to him like that?
8. Ben goes to football practice every Tuesday.
9. In general, I believe that all people can live in peace.
10. Do you go to the supermarket every week?

Negative

1. I don’t like the food they serve at that restaurant.     Jim doesn’t work on Fridays.
2. My friends don’t usually leave so early.                     I do not want to go with you!

Yes/No Questions

1. Do you surf the Internet every day?               Does your boss give you positive feedback?
2. Does Jonathan always turn off the lights?      Don’t you ever clean your room?

Wh Questions

1. When do you want to meet me?                     Why does Beth always complain so much?
2. How much does the ticket cost?                     Why don’t you ever go on vacation?

Tag Questions

1. John likes me, doesn’t he?                              All those girls speak French, don’t they?
2. Keisha doesn’t speak Spanish, does she?       Those boys don’t play sports, do they?

The Present Progressive Tense                    Spelling Tip

Verbing (Present Participle)

• Add ing to most verbs. Ex. play > playing, cry > crying, bark > barking
• For verbs that end in e, remove the e and add ing. Ex: slide > sliding, ride > riding
• For verbs that end in ie, change the ie to y and add ing. Ex: die > dying, tie > tying
• For a verb whose last syllable is written with a consonant-vowel-consonant and is stressed, double the last letter before adding ing. Ex: beg > begging, begin > beginning. However: enter > entering (last syllable is not stressed)

The present progressive tense is often overused by non-native speakers of English. It should only be used in the following contexts:

To describe an incomplete action which is in progress at the moment of speaking; usually with time expressions such as: now, at the moment, right now.

1. (During a phone call or in an e-mail) We are discussing the project at the moment.

To describe a plan or arrangement in the near future; usually with time expressions such as: tonight, tomorrow, this week, this Monday.

1. Jim‘s leaving for Brussels this evening.

To express actions that are repeated regularly; usually with a negative meaning and with the time expressions: always or forever.

1. Her husband is always complaining about his health.

Note: A common mistake is using this form to describe what a company sells or produces. In general, a company sells something on a regular basis, so you need to use the present simple tense and not the present progressive.

• Incorrect: We are producing high-end plastic pipes.
• Correct: We produce high-end plastic pipes.
• Correct: That company is always selling some cheap gadget. (negative meaning)

The present progressive (continuous) is formed using am, is or are together with the ing (present participle) form of the verb.

Subject	A form of be + Verbing (Present Participle)	Rest of Sentence
I	am taking	my final exam tomorrow
He / She / It	is sweeping	the floor at the moment
You / We / They	are giving	me a headache

Contractions in the Present Progressive (Continuous)

In general we contract (or shorten) the subject (the person or thing doing the action), and form of be:

1. I am > I’m – I’m going to the store in about ten minutes.
2. He is > He’s, She is > She’s, It is > It’s – It’s raining cats and dogs.
3. We are > We’re, You are > You’re, They are > They’re – We’re catching the 9:00 flight.

Save the long forms for when you want to create emphasis.

1. You are not going out tonight!

When speaking, you should stress the not.

Negatives in the Present Progressive (Continuous)                   Spelling Tip

When shortening a form of be and negative, just remove the o in not and add an apostrophe (‘)
is not > isn’t   
are not > aren’t

The negative in the present progressive tense is created using am not, is not or are not together with the ing form (present participle) of the verb.

Subject	A form of be + Verbing	Rest of Sentence
I	am not working	on that project now
He / She / It	isn’t sleeping	at the moment
You / We / They	aren’t running	in the marathon tomorrow

Note: In general, use these contractions in the negative: isn’t, aren’t. Am not cannot be shortened, but you can say I’m not. Save the long forms for when you want to create emphasis.

1. I’m not listening to you.
2. Roger isn’t eating with us tonight.
3. The Smiths aren’t going to France this year. They’re going to Thailand.
4. He is not coming with me dressed like that!

Yes/No Questions in the Present Progressive (Continuous)

To ask a question that will be answered with either a yes or no, start with Am, Is or Are, then choose your subject (the person or thing doing the action), followed by the ing (present participle) form of the verb and then the rest of your question.

A Form of be	Subject	Verbing	Rest of Sentence
Am	I	making	myself clear
Is	he / she / it	shaking	right now
Are	you / we / they	buying	steaks for dinner tomorrow

1. Am I talking too much?
2. Is that your dog barking?
3. Are you participating in the competition next week?

Wh-Questions in the Present Progressive

Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words are what, where, when, which, why, who, how, how many, how much.

To create a wh-question, start with the wh-word, then add am, is or are, then the subject (a person or thing that is doing the action), followed by the ing ( present participle) form of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.

Wh Word	A form of be	Subject	Verbing	Rest of Sentence
Who	am	I	meeting	with today
What	is	he / she / it	doing	right now
When	are	you / we / they	choosing	the colors for the room

1. Which route are you taking to the conference this week?
2. Why is she bleeding?
3. Who am I sending to the meeting?

Tag Questions in the Present Progressive

Tag questions are those short questions that are tagged onto the end of a sentence. They are used just to make sure the person you’re talking to understood what you meant or to emphasize what you said.

They’re formed by using a positive sentence in the present progressive and adding isn’t or aren’t and a pronoun (I, you, we, they, he, she, it) and a question mark. For sentences in the first person (I), use the tag aren’t I?

1. Terry is driving to the post office, isn’t she?
2. All the kids in the class are going on the field trip, aren’t they?
3. I‘m buying tickets for everyone, aren’t I?

You may also add a positive tag when you’re using a negative sentence.

1. Latika‘s not working at IBM anymore, is she?
2. Tomer and Guy aren’t going on the trek to South America, are they?

As a rule: When the sentence is positive, the tag is negative.
When the sentence is negative, the tag is positive.

Exercises for Present Progressive

Fill in the correct form of the Present Progressive as in the examples.

1. The runners are approaching the finish line. (approach)
2. Are you preparing the contract for the client? (prepare)
3. Joyce isn’t playing in today’s tournament. (not play)

1. The team members ______________ late to finish the bid. (stay)
2. What _______Arnie ____________ over there? (do)
3. _______ you __________ a big wedding? (plan)
4. Tim is helping you put the lights up, ___________?
5. The computers _____ finally ____________ like they’re supposed to. (run)
6. _________ Ann _________ in from New York tonight? (fly)
7. The customers aren’t getting the price quote this week, ____________?
8. I________________ Peter for a drink later. (meet)
9. How much money ________ they _________ in the company?(invest)
10. He ___________ to you. (not lie) He ____________ the truth. (tell)

Answers:

1. are staying       is/doing           Are/planning   isn’t he                        are/running      Is/flying
2. are they           am meeting      are/investing                isn’t lying/is telling

Examples – Present Progressive (Continuous)

Positive

1. We are discussing the project at the moment.                       
2. Jim’s leaving for Brussels this evening.
3. Her husband is always complaining about his health.

Contractions

1. I’m going to the store in about ten minutes.
2. It’s raining cats and dogs.
3. We’re catching the 9:00 flight.

Negatives

1. I’m not listening to you.
2. Roger isn’t eating with us tonight.
3. The Smiths aren’t going to France this year. They’re going to Thailand.
4. He is not coming with me dressed like that!

Yes/No Questions

1. Am I talking too much?
2. Is that your dog barking?
3. Are you participating in the competition next week?

Wh-Questions

1. Which route are you taking to the conference this week?
2. Why is she bleeding?
3. Who am I sending to the meeting?

Tag Questions

1. Terry is driving to the post office, isn’t she?
2. All the kids in the class are going on the field trip, aren’t they?
3. I’m buying tickets for everyone, aren’t I?
4. Latika’s not working at IBM anymore, is she?
5. Tomer and Guy aren’t going on the trek to South America, are they?

The Past Simple Tense             Spelling Tip

Regular verbs in the past simple

• Add ed to most verbs. Ex. talk > talked , employ > employed
• If a short verb ends with a consonant-vowel-consonant, double the last letter and then add ed. Ex. stop > stopped, top > topped
  However, do not double the last letter if the verb ends in w, x or y. Ex. play > played, mix > mixed.
• In longer words, if the last syllable of the verb ends with a consonant-vowel-consonant and that syllable is stressed, double the last consonant and then add ed. Ex. prefer > preferred
  However, do not double the last letter if the first syllable is stressed. Ex. enter > entered
• If the verb ends in e, just add d. Ex. create > created , live > lived
• If the verb ends in a consonant + y, change the y to i and add ed. Ex. try > tried

The past simple tense is quite straightforward. The main problem is its spelling rules, which you’ll find below.

We use the past simple to describe an action that started in the past and ended in the past. It could be something that happened twenty years ago or something that happened two minutes ago. It started. It stopped. It’s over.

1. I visited a client in London yesterday.
2. She planned the event all by herself.

The most common time expressions used for the past simple are: yesterday, a week (month, year) ago, last (month, year, weekend, Monday) night, the day before yesterday, two days (months, years) ago. The time expression appears either at the beginning or at the end of the sentence – never in the middle of the sentence.

Forming the Past Simple

Subject	Verb + d, ed, ied or irregular form (V2)	Rest of Sentence
I / He / She / It You / We / They	walked	to the shop yesterday
	slept	late last Saturday

The past simple is usually formed by adding d, ed, or ied to the base form of the verb, however, in English there are many irregular verbs that take on a completely different form in the past tense. Some people call this the V2 form of the verb. The best thing to do is to try and memorize them.

Negative Sentences in the Past Simple Tense                  Spelling Tip

When shortening the 3rd person (he, she, it) negative, just remove the o in not and add an apostrophe (‘)
did not > didn’t

To create a negative sentence in the past simple, use didn’t (did not) + the base form of the verb.

Note: Save the long forms (did not) for when you want to create emphasis. When speaking, put the stress on ‘not’.

Subject	didn’t + verb in the base form	Rest of Sentence
I / He / She / It You / We / They	didn’t walk	to the shop yesterday
	didn’t sleep	late last Saturday

1. I didn’t talk to John yesterday.
2. He didn’t steal those ideas from the company.
3. You didn’t show me the photos from the wedding.
4. Ron did not sign the document.

Yes/No Questions in the Past Simple

To create a question that will be answered with a yes or no, start the question with Did, then add a subject (the person or thing that does the action) followed by the base form of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.

Auxiliary Verb	Subject	verb in base form	rest of sentence
Did	I / you / we / they	walk	to the shop yesterday
	he / she / it	sleep	late last Saturday

1. Did you ask Tina to go out with you?
2. Did the employees stay late again last night?
3. Did Rob finish his assignment yesterday?

Wh-Questions in the Past Simple

Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words are what, where, when, why, who, how, how many, how much.

To create a wh-question, start with the wh-word, then add did (or didn’t for a negative question), then the subject (a person or thing that does the action), followed by the base form of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.

Wh-word	auxiliary verb	subject	verb in base form	rest of sentence
What	did	I / you / we / they he / she / it	sell	the house
Why	didn’t		rescue	me

1. When did you buy that sweater?
2. Why did the computer break down?
3. How long did the train journey take?
4. Why didn’t you tell me about the accident?

Tag Questions in the Past Simple

Tag questions are those short questions that are tagged onto the end of a sentence. They are used just to make sure the person you’re talking to understood what you meant or to emphasize what you said.

They’re formed either by using a positive sentence in the past simple and then adding didn’t, a pronoun (I, you, we, they, he, she, it) and a question mark.

1. John scored a goal, didn’t he?
2. Their dogs barked all night, didn’t they?

You may also add a positive tag when you’re using a negative sentence.

1. Kate didn’t take out the rubbish bin, did she?
2. The girls didn’t copy on the exam, did they?

As a rule: When the sentence is positive, the tag is negative.
When the sentence is negative, the tag is positive.

Exercises with the Past Simple Tense

Fill in the correct form of the verb in the past simple as in the examples.

1. David saw his History professor at the supermarket two days ago. (see)
2. I didn’t know your e-mail address, so I phoned instead. (not know/phone)
3. Did you get the message I left the day before yesterday?

1. I _______ a great book last week. (read)
2. _______ Adam ______ the jacket that he _______ at the party? (find / leave)
3. Why _______ you__________ for me at the bar yesterday evening? (not wait)
4. I _________ for over an hour, but you never __________ up! (wait / show)
5. My friends _________ to New Delhi via Mumbai a week ago. (fly)
6. Teresa ___________ the last train, _______________? (catch)
7. The sunset _________ beautiful last night. (be)
8. _______ they _________ the client’s deadline yesterday? (meet)
9. When _____ he ___________ from med school? (graduate)
10. Ella ___________ to get a hold of you, but you ________ home. (try/not be)

Answers:

1. Read    Did/find/left    didn’t/wait      waited/showed                        flew     caught/ didn’t she      
2. Was     Did/meet         did/graduate    tried/weren’t

Examples – Past Simple           Positive

1. I visited a client in London yesterday.                       She planned the event all by herself.

Negative

1. I didn’t talk to John yesterday.         
2. He didn’t steal those ideas from the company.
3. You didn’t show me the photos from the wedding.
4. Ron did not sign the document.

Yes/No Questions

1. Did you ask Tina to go out with you?
2. Did the employees stay late again last night?
3. Did Rob finish his assignment yesterday?

Wh-Questions

1. When did you buy that sweater?                    Why did the computer break down?
2. How long did the train journey take?             Why didn’t you tell me about the accident?

Tag Questions

1. John scored a goal, didn’t he?                                    Their dogs barked all night, didn’t they?
2. Kate didn’t take out the rubbish bin, did she?
3. The girls didn’t copy on the exam, did they?

The Past Progressive Tense               Spelling Tip

Verbing (Present Participle)

• Add ing to most verbs. Ex. play > playing, cry > crying, bark > barking
• For verbs that end in e, remove the e and add ing. Ex: slide > sliding, ride > riding
• For verbs that end in ie, change the ie to y and add ing. Ex: die > dying, tie > tying
• For a verb whose last syllable is written with a consonant-vowel-consonant and is stressed, double the last letter before adding ing. Ex: beg > begging, begin > beginning. However: enter > entering (last syllable is not stressed)

The past progressive tense is difficult for many non-native speakers to master because many languages don’t have an equivalent.

The past progressive describes an action that was in progress at a specific time in the past. It can be used:

To describe an action that started in the past and was interrupted by another action:

1. He was writing an e-mail when the phone rang.
2. When the phone rang, he was writing an e-mail.
3. While he was writing an e-mail, the phone rang

To describe two actions that were in progress at the same time in the past:

1. I was preparing dinner while Melanie was working upstairs.
2. While Melanie was working upstairs, I was preparing dinner

Note: The word order in the sentence can be switched around as in the examples above, however, it is important to remember that we use the time expression while before the past progressive and the word when before the past simple part of the sentence. Use only one of these time expressions in each sentence.

The past progressive is formed using was or were and the ing (present participle) form of the verb.

Subject	a form of be + verbing	rest of sentence
I / He / She / It	was finishing	the exam when the bell rang
You / We / They	were paying	the bill while I was waiting to be seated

Negatives in the Past Progressive (Continuous)              Spelling Tip

When shortening the 1st & 3rd person (I, he, she, it) negative, just remove the o in not and add an apostrophe (‘)
was not > wasn’t                    were not > weren’t

The negative in the past progressive tense is created using was not or were not + the ing (present participle) form of the verb.

Note: In general, use these contractions in the negative: wasn’t, weren’t. Save the long forms for when you want to create emphasis.

Subject	a form of be + verbing	rest of sentence
I /He / She / It	wasn’t crying	when you came home
You / We / They	weren’t hiking	there when the earthquake hit

1. I wasn’t sleeping when you came home last night.
2. When Ms. Foster came in, the girls weren’t studying.
3. Sam wasn’t lying when he said he loved you.

Yes/No Questions in the Past Progressive (Continuous)

To ask a question that will be answered with either a yes or no, start with Was or Were, (Wasn’t or Weren’t for a negative question) then choose your subject (the person or thing doing the action), followed by the ing (present participle) form of the verb and then the rest of your question.

A form of Be	subject	verbing	rest of sentence
Was	I	walking	too fast
Was	he / she / it	shouting	while you were trying to sleep
Were	you / we / they	waiting	for her when the plane landed

1. Was I talking to you?
2. Were you writing the report when the electricity went off?
3. When you came home, was he singing in the shower?
4. Wasn’t Tom sitting in the cafe when you drove past?

Wh-Questions in the Past Progressive (Continuous)

Wh- questions are questions that require more information in their answers. Typical wh- words are what, where, when, which, why, who, and how.

To create a wh-question, start with the Wh-word, then was or were (wasn’t or weren’t for a negative question), then the subject (a person or thing that does the action), followed by the ing (participle) form of the verb and only then add the rest of the sentence.

Wh Word	a form of be	subject	verbing	rest of sentence
Who	was	I	talking	to
What	was	he / she / it	doing
When	were	you / we / they	planning	on telling me the bad news

1. Where were you standing when the trouble started?
2. Who was I talking to? I can’t remember.
3. Why wasn’t she waiting at the meeting point?

Tag Questions in the Past Progressive (Continuous)

Tag questions are those short questions that are tagged onto the end of a sentence. They are used just to make sure the person you’re talking to understood what you meant or to emphasize what you said.

They’re formed by using a positive sentence in the past progressive and adding wasn’t or weren’t and a pronoun (I, you, we, they, he, she, it) and a question mark.

1. I was snoring last night, wasn’t I?
2. They were all rushing for the exit, weren’t they?
3. When Mr. Thomas called, David was solving crossword puzzles, wasn’t he?

You may also add a positive tag when you’re using a negative sentence.

1. Jennifer wasn’t trying very hard, was she?
2. The trains weren’t running on schedule yesterday, were they?

As a rule: When the sentence is positive, the tag is negative.
When the sentence is negative, the tag is positive.

Exercises – Past Progressive

Fill in the correct form of the verb in Past Progressive (Continuous) or Past Simple as in the examples.

1. Tom was wrapping the gift when I walked in the room. (wrap / walk)
2. Did he comfort her while she was crying? (comfort / cry)
3. What were you doing when the accident occurred? (do / occur)

1. What _______the manager ________ at 7:00 pm yesterday? (do)
2. Tina and Shelly ____________ to the hotel when it _________ to rain. (walk/start)
3. When Donny _________ the room, everyone ______________. (enter/talk)
4. I _________ in the sales department when I first _________ Sofie. (work/meet)
5. My brother ______the computer while I ______ for my trip. (use/pack)
6. ______ you ______ attention when the teacher ______ your name? (pay/call)
7. We ______ TV when the lighting ________. (watch/ strike)
8. She _______ about me behind my back, wasn’t she? (whisper)
9. ______ the client really ______out while Troy ______ the proposal? (walk / present)
10. This morning, while I ________ breakfast, someone _______ on the door. (eat /knock)

Answers:

1. was/doing        were walking/started               entered/was talking     was working/met
2. was using/was packing            Were/paying/called     were watching/struck
3. was whispering           Did/walk/was presenting        was eating/knocked

Examples Past Progressive (Continuous)                        Positive

1. He was writing an e-mail when the phone rang.
2. When the phone rang, he was writing an e-mail.
3. While he was writing an e-mail, the phone rang.
4. I was preparing dinner while Melanie was working upstairs.
5. While Melanie was working upstairs, I was preparing dinner.

Negative

1. I wasn’t sleeping when you came home last night.
2. When Ms. Foster came in, the girls weren’t studying.
3. Sam wasn’t lying when he said he loved you.

Yes/No Questions

1. Was I talking to you?
2. Were you writing the report when the electricity went off?
3. When you came home, was he singing in the shower?
4. Wasn’t Tom sitting in the cafe when you drove past?

Wh-Questions

1. Where were you standing when the trouble started?            
2. Who was I talking to? I can’t remember.
3. Why wasn’t she waiting at the meeting point?

Tag Questions                     

I was snoring last night, wasn’t I?

They were all rushing for the exit, weren’t they?

When Mr. Thomas called, David was solving crossword puzzles, wasn’t he?

Jennifer wasn’t trying very hard, was she?

The trains weren’t running on schedule yesterday, were they?