Grammar Quiz On Past Continuous Tense! Trivia

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Grammar Quiz On Past Continuous Tense! Trivia - Quiz
About This Quiz

Below is a grammar quiz on past continuous tense. This tense is used in a sentence to show actions that have been going on from the past or have been happening in the past. In this quiz, you will be expected to write the sentence in these forms in order to get the full marks. How about you check them out and see if you need assistance with such sentences or are all good!.

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  • 2. 

    My sister was ... in the sea while I was calling her.

    • Swimming

    • Swim

    • Swims

    • Swam

    Correct Answer
    A. Swimming
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "swimming" because it is the present participle form of the verb "swim" and matches the continuous action of the sister being in the sea.

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  • 3. 
    What was this woman doing at 9 o'clock last night? - ProProfs

    What was this woman doing at 9 o'clock last night?

    • She was reading a book.

    • She were reading a book.

    • She was having a shower.

    • She were having a shower.

    Correct Answer
    A. She was having a shower.
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "She was having a shower." This is indicated by the use of the past continuous tense "was having" which suggests an ongoing action in the past. The other options "She was reading a book" and "She were reading a book" are grammatically incorrect as they use the wrong form of the verb "to be". Similarly, "She were having a shower" is also incorrect as it uses the wrong form of the verb "to be".

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  • 4. 

    Complete the sentence with one word. My father ... washing the car when it started to rain.

    Correct Answer
    was
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "was." This is because the sentence is in the past tense and the subject "my father" is singular, so the correct verb form is "was." The sentence indicates that the action of washing the car was already in progress when it started to rain.

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  • 5. 
    Snow White was sleeping when the dwarves arrived. - ProProfs

    Snow White was sleeping when the dwarves arrived.

    • True

    • False

    Correct Answer
    A. True
    Explanation
    Snow White was indeed sleeping when the dwarves arrived. This can be inferred from the sentence provided, which states that the dwarves arrived while she was sleeping. Therefore, the correct answer is True.

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  • 6. 
    Timon and Pumbaa were walking when they found Simba in The Lion King. - ProProfs

    Timon and Pumbaa were walking when they found Simba in The Lion King.

    • True

    • False

    Correct Answer
    A. True
    Explanation
    Timon and Pumbaa, two characters from The Lion King, discovered Simba while they were walking. This implies that the statement "Timon and Pumbaa found Simba in The Lion King" is true.

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  • 7. 
    Were these people running some minutes ago? - ProProfs

    Were these people running some minutes ago?

    • True

    • False

    Correct Answer
    A. True
    Explanation
    The question asks whether the people were running some minutes ago. The answer "True" implies that the people were indeed running some minutes ago.

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  • 8. 

    Choose the correct sentence.

    • Was my daughter playing the piano last night?

    • My daughter was playing the piano last night?

    • Playing was my daughter the piano last night?

    • Last night was my daughter playing the piano?

    Correct Answer
    A. Was my daughter playing the piano last night?
    Explanation
    The correct sentence is "Was my daughter playing the piano last night?" This sentence follows the correct word order for a question in English, with the subject "my daughter" followed by the auxiliary verb "was" and the main verb "playing." The question is asking about an action that occurred in the past (last night), so the word order is appropriate.

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  • 9. 

    Complete the sentence with the right form of the verb in brackets. I was reading an interesting book when I ... (see) an elephant in our garden.

    Correct Answer
    saw
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "saw". The sentence is in the past continuous tense, indicating an ongoing action in the past. The phrase "I was reading an interesting book" sets the context for the sentence. The verb "see" should be in the past simple tense to match the tense of the sentence. Therefore, "saw" is the correct form of the verb to complete the sentence.

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  • 10. 

    Complete the sentence with one word. I was ... to the radio when my mother entered the room.

    Correct Answer
    listening
    Explanation
    The sentence is asking for a word that completes the sentence "I was ____ to the radio when my mother entered the room." The word "listening" fits perfectly in this context, as it indicates that the person was engaged in the activity of listening to the radio when their mother entered the room.

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  • 11. 

    Complete the following sentence with one word. Yesterday, the Smith brothers ... wearing shorts and white T shirts.

    Correct Answer
    were
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "were" because it agrees with the subject "Smith brothers" and indicates that they were the ones who were wearing shorts and white T-shirts.

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  • 12. 

    Complete the following sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets. Ros ... (sleep) when she heard a strange noise from the kitchen.

    Correct Answer
    was sleeping
    Explanation
    Ros was in the middle of sleeping when she suddenly heard a strange noise coming from the kitchen.

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  • 13. 
    This man was cleaning his teeth a couple of minutes ago. - ProProfs

    This man was cleaning his teeth a couple of minutes ago.

    • True

    • False

    Correct Answer
    A. False
    Explanation
    The statement says that the man was cleaning his teeth a couple of minutes ago. Since the action of cleaning his teeth already happened in the past, it implies that the man is not currently cleaning his teeth. Therefore, the answer is False.

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  • 14. 

    My cousins ... (cook) dinner when we arrived at their place.

    Correct Answer
    were cooking
    Explanation
    The question is asking for the correct form of the verb "cook" to complete the sentence. In this case, the sentence is in the past tense, so we need to use the past continuous tense. "Were cooking" is the correct answer because it shows that the action of cooking was ongoing at the time we arrived at their place.

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  • 15. 

    Robert and Tara ... when Peter ... .

    • Were preparing dinner - was arriving

    • Were preparing dinner - arrived

    • Prepared dinner - was arriving

    • Prepared dinner - arrive

    Correct Answer
    A. Were preparing dinner - arrived
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "were preparing dinner - arrived". This is because the verb "were preparing" is in the past continuous tense, indicating an ongoing action in the past. The verb "arrived" is also in the past tense, indicating that the action of arriving happened at a specific point in the past. Therefore, the correct sentence would be "Robert and Tara were preparing dinner when Peter arrived."

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  • 16. 

    Complete the following sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets. When I left the building, the sun ... (shine).

    Correct Answer
    was shining
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "was shining". This is because the sentence is describing a past event, specifically when the speaker left the building. The verb "shine" needs to be in the past tense to match the time frame of the sentence. Therefore, "was shining" is the correct form of the verb.

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  • 17. 

    Complete the following sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets. I started my walk on the streets. The birds ... (sing).

    Correct Answer
    were singing
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "were singing." This is because the sentence is in the past tense, indicated by the use of "started" and "walked." Since the birds were singing at the same time in the past, the past continuous tense "were singing" is used to show an ongoing action in the past.

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  • 18. 

    I ... for my History test when Hugh ... home.

    • Was studying - come

    • Were studying - came

    • Was studying - came

    • Studied - was coming

    Correct Answer
    A. Was studying - came
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "was studying - came". The sentence is describing a past action that was happening at a specific point in time. The past continuous tense "was studying" is used to show that the action of studying was ongoing when another action, "came", interrupted it.

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  • 19. 

    Complete the following sentence with the correct fom of the verb in brackets. While you were talking to Anna on the phone, I ... (do) my homework.

    Correct Answer
    was doing
    Explanation
    The sentence is in the past continuous tense, which is used to describe an ongoing action in the past. In this case, the action of doing homework was happening at the same time as the action of talking to Anna on the phone. Therefore, the correct form of the verb "do" in this context is "was doing."

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  • 20. 

    I ... the fence while dad ... in the garden.

    • Fixed - digged

    • Fixing - digging

    • Was fixing - dug

    • Was fixing - was digging

    Correct Answer
    A. Was fixing - was digging
    Explanation
    The correct answer is "was fixing - was digging" because it indicates that both actions were happening simultaneously in the past. The past continuous tense "was fixing" is used to show an ongoing action in the past, and "was digging" also uses the past continuous tense to show another ongoing action happening at the same time.

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  • 21. 

    Put the words in the following sentence into the correct order. 5 o'clock / reading / at / I / newspaper / was / the

    Correct Answer
    I was reading the newspaper at 5 o'clock.
    I was reading the newspaper at 5 o'clock
    At 5 o'clock I was reading the newspaper.
    At 5 o'clock I was reading the newspaper
    Explanation
    The correct order of the words in the sentence is "I was reading the newspaper at 5 o'clock." or "At 5 o'clock I was reading the newspaper."

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  • 22. 

    I ... (spend) too much money last month.

    Correct Answer
    spent
    Explanation
    The given correct answer "spent" is the past tense form of the verb "spend." The sentence is in the past tense, indicating that the action of spending too much money occurred in the past. Therefore, "spent" is the appropriate verb form to use in this context.

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  • 23. 

    Tick the correct sentences.

    • Sheila was not writing a letter to John at 10 o'clock last night.

    • We was watching a new DVD at home at that time.

    • I was seeing a lot of animals in the zoo.

    • They were flying to Washington when we were talking.

    • I was thinking about my family on holiday.

    • I wasn't understanding what the Portuguese guy was talking about.

    Correct Answer(s)
    A. Sheila was not writing a letter to John at 10 o'clock last night.
    A. They were flying to Washington when we were talking.
    A. I was thinking about my family on holiday.
    Explanation
    The correct sentences are: Sheila was not writing a letter to John at 10 o'clock last night. This indicates that Sheila was not engaged in the act of writing a letter to John at that specific time. They were flying to Washington when we were talking. This suggests that the individuals being referred to were in the process of flying to Washington while the conversation was taking place. I was thinking about my family on holiday. This implies that the speaker was actively thinking about their family while on vacation.

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  • Current Version
  • Mar 22, 2023
    Quiz Edited by
    ProProfs Editorial Team
  • Apr 18, 2012
    Quiz Created by
    Csabiteacher
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