Past Continuous Tense Test Quiz! Trivia

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    Last night at 8, I ... dinner. - ProProfs

    Last night at 8, I ... dinner.

    • Was cooking
    • Were cooking
    • Cooking
    • Am cooking
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About This Quiz

This quiz focuses on the use of the past continuous tense in English. It assesses the ability to correctly form and use this tense through various sentences, enhancing grammatical accuracy and fluency in real-life contexts.

Past Continuous Tense Test Quiz! Trivia - Quiz

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  • 2. 
    I ... when I saw a shark. - ProProfs

    I ... when I saw a shark.

    • Was surfing

    • Were surfing

    • Surfing

    • Am surfing

    Correct Answer
    A. Was surfing
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "was surfing." This is because the sentence is written in the past tense, and the subject "I" is singular. Therefore, the correct verb form to use is "was" instead of "were" or "am." The word "surfing" is the present participle form of the verb "surf," indicating that the action was happening at the same time as the sighting of the shark.

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  • 3. 
    I ... the news when the power cut. - ProProfs

    I ... the news when the power cut.

    • Was watching

    • Were watching

    • Watching

    • Am watching

    Correct Answer
    A. Was watching
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "was watching". This is because the sentence is in the past tense and the subject "I" is singular. Therefore, the correct verb form to use is "was watching".

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  • 4. 
    At 7 this morning, we ... breakfast. - ProProfs

    At 7 this morning, we ... breakfast.

    • Were having

    • Was having

    • Having

    • Are having

    Correct Answer
    A. Were having
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "were having." This is because the sentence is in the past continuous tense, indicating an ongoing action in the past. The verb "were having" is the correct form for the subject "we" in this tense.

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  • 5. 
    They ... problems with their car so they took the bus. - ProProfs

    They ... problems with their car so they took the bus.

    • Were having

    • Are having

    • Was having

    • Having

    Correct Answer
    A. Were having
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "were having" because it is the past continuous tense form of the verb "have". This form is used to describe an ongoing action in the past. In this sentence, it indicates that at a specific time in the past, the individuals experienced problems with their car.

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  • 6. 
    I ... 130 down the dual carriageway when the police stopped me. - ProProfs

    I ... 130 down the dual carriageway when the police stopped me.

    • Was doing

    • Were doing

    • Am doing

    • Doing

    Correct Answer
    A. Was doing
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "was doing". This is because the sentence is in the past tense and refers to a specific action that was happening at a particular moment in the past. The verb "was doing" indicates that the speaker was engaged in the action of driving at the time when the police stopped them.

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  • 7. 
    He ... his homework, he was watching TV instead! - ProProfs

    He ... his homework, he was watching TV instead!

    • Wasn't doing

    • Weren't doing

    • Doing

    • Isn't doing

    Correct Answer
    A. Wasn't doing
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "wasn't doing" because it is the correct past continuous form of the verb "to do" to describe an action that was not happening at a specific time in the past. In this case, it indicates that the person was not doing their homework while they were watching TV instead.

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  • 8. 
    I was watching TV while my wife ... on the phone. - ProProfs

    I was watching TV while my wife ... on the phone.

    • Was talking

    • Were talking

    • Talking

    • Is talking

    Correct Answer
    A. Was talking
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "was talking." This is because the sentence is in the past continuous tense, indicating that the action of talking was ongoing at a specific point in the past. Since the subject is "my wife," which is singular, the correct form of the verb is "was talking."

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  • 9. 
    You ... when I visited you, so I went home. - ProProfs

    You ... when I visited you, so I went home.

    • Were sleeping

    • Was sleeping

    • Sleeping

    • Are sleeping

    Correct Answer
    A. Were sleeping
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "were sleeping". This is because the sentence is in the past tense and the subject "you" is plural, indicating that multiple people were sleeping. Therefore, the past continuous tense "were sleeping" is the appropriate form to use in this context.

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  • 10. 
    What ... when I arrived? - ProProfs

    What ... when I arrived?

    • Were you doing

    • Was you doing

    • You doing

    • Are you doing

    Correct Answer
    A. Were you doing
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "were you doing." This is because the question is in the past tense and is asking about an action that was happening at a specific point in the past. The correct form of the verb to use in this case is the past continuous tense, which is formed by using "were" with the pronoun "you" and the present participle form of the verb "do."

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  • 11. 
    What ... at 8 last night? - ProProfs

    What ... at 8 last night?

    • Were you doing

    • Was you doing

    • You doing

    • Are you doing

    Correct Answer
    A. Were you doing
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "were you doing." This is because the question is in the past tense, asking about an action that occurred at 8 last night. The correct form for asking about past actions in English is to use the past continuous tense, which is formed by using "were" + subject + "doing."

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  • 12. 
    Oh hello! I didn't know you ... for me! - ProProfs

    Oh hello! I didn't know you ... for me!

    • Were waiting

    • Was waiting

    • Waiting

    • Are waiting

    Correct Answer
    A. Were waiting
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "were waiting" because the phrase "I didn't know you..." indicates that the speaker is referring to a past event. In English, when talking about past events, we use the past continuous tense, which is formed by using "was/were" + present participle (-ing form of the verb). Therefore, "were waiting" is the correct form in this context.

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  • 13. 
    Sorry, we ... , could you repeat what you said? - ProProfs

    Sorry, we ... , could you repeat what you said?

    • Weren't listening

    • Wasn't listening

    • Listening

    • Were listening

    Correct Answer
    A. Weren't listening
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "weren't listening" because the phrase "weren't" is the correct form of the verb "to be" in the past tense, which matches the past tense of the sentence. The word "listening" is the correct verb form to complete the sentence and indicates that the subject was not actively paying attention.

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Quiz Review Timeline (Updated): Mar 22, 2023 +

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  • Current Version
  • Mar 22, 2023
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Apr 17, 2014
    Quiz Created by
    Anglaisre
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