Unit 22 — What Was Happening? | Past Simple and Past Continuous

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When we tell a story about the past, we often describe what was happening and then say what happened next.

As I was walking along Church Street, I saw an accident.
A police officer was directing traffic. A man was sitting on the pavement, and two people were helping him.

The Past Continuous helps us describe actions in progress at a particular time. The Past Simple often tells us about an event that happened during that time or moved the story forward.

Work through the steps in order. In each scored exercise, choose Check answers to see feedback for each answer. Choose Show answers whenever you need help, even if every answer is wrong.

Step 1

A scene in the park

Read the story. Try to picture what was happening when the unexpected event took place.

Yesterday afternoon, Ben was walking through the park when he heard a loud crash. Two children were playing football near a bench. A woman was walking her dog, and an older man was reading a newspaper. The ball hit the bench and bounced into the path. The dog suddenly ran after it, pulling the lead out of the woman's hand.

Ben picked up the ball while the woman called her dog. A boy ran over and apologised. Nobody was hurt, and soon everyone was laughing about the incident.

Check your understanding

Choose the complete sentence that answers each question. Notice that the answers have subjects as well as verbs.

1. What was Ben doing when he heard the crash?

2. What happened to the bench?

3. What was the older man doing?

4. What did the dog do?

Step 2

What was happening?

Use was/were + verb-ing for an action in progress at a particular time in the past.

At three o'clock, I was waiting for the bus.
They were playing tennis when it started to rain.

Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they.

Remember: We are not simply measuring how long an action lasted. We use the Past Continuous to look at an action while it was in progress. The Past Simple often presents an event as a whole: I was crossing the road when the lights changed.

Complete the sentences

1. At six o'clock yesterday, Mum ______ dinner. (cook)

2. We ______ outside the cinema at seven. (wait)

3. It ______ when I left the house. (rain)

4. Ella ______ for her exam at this time yesterday. (study)

Step 3

What happened?

Use the Past Simple for a completed event or action. The event may happen while another action is in progress.

I was walking home when I saw an old friend.
While we were eating, the phone rang.

In the first sentence, was walking gives the background and saw tells us what happened. In the second, were eating describes the activity in progress and rang tells us about the event.

Choose the correct form

1. I ______ to work when I saw the accident.

2. While he was running, he ______ and hurt his knee.

3. We ______ when the teacher came into the room.

4. It ______ to snow while we were walking home.

Step 4

When and while

We often use when before the event in the Past Simple. We often use while before an action in progress. These are useful patterns, not absolute rules.

While I was having breakfast, the post arrived.
I was having breakfast when the post arrived.

Complete the sentences with the correct verb forms

1. I ______ television when the lights went out. (watch)

2. While Sam was cooking, his sister ______ him. (call)

3. We ______ through town when we saw the parade. (walk)

4. While I was carrying the shopping, I ______ a bag. (drop)

Step 5

Reconstruct the scene

Read the notes about an incident outside a shop. Complete each sentence using the Past Simple or Past Continuous. The time clues tell you what was in progress and what happened.

At 5.15: a shop assistant was putting boxes outside.
A cyclist was riding past the shop.
A car door suddenly opened.
The cyclist hit the brakes and stopped.
A passer-by was talking on the phone.

1. At 5.15, the shop assistant ______ boxes outside. (put)

2. A cyclist ______ past the shop when the car door opened. (ride)

3. Suddenly, a car door ______. (open)

4. The cyclist ______ the brakes and stopped. (hit)

5. A passer-by ______ on the phone when it happened. (talk)

Step 6

Tell the story

Choose the correct verb forms to complete a short story about a journey home.

Last Friday, Nina was coming home from work. The sun was shining, and people were sitting outside the cafés. As she crossed the square, she noticed a little boy who was looking around anxiously. He suddenly started to cry. Nina stopped and asked if he was lost. While they were talking, his father came running across the square. He thanked Nina for staying with his son.

1. Nina ______ home from work.

2. The sun ______.

3. As she crossed the square, she ______ a little boy.

4. The boy suddenly ______ to cry.

5. While they were talking, his father ______ running across the square.

Step 7

How about you?

Think of a time when something unexpected happened while you were doing something else. You can write about a real event or invent one.

Use these questions to help you.

Where were you, and what were you doing?
What was happening around you?
What happened unexpectedly?
What did you do next?

Useful beginnings: I was … when … / While I was …, … / People were … / Suddenly, …

Write your story

This is your own story, so there is no single correct answer. Check that you have used the Past Continuous to describe actions in progress and the Past Simple to tell us what happened.

Self-check

I have described what was happening.

I have used the Past Simple for events.

I have checked my verb forms.