Grammar Quiz On Past Continuous Tense! Trivia
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!.
- 1.
We ... trying to help the Geography teacher.
- A.
Were
- B.
Was
- C.
Been
- D.
Is
Correct Answer
A. WereExplanation
The correct answer is "were" because it agrees with the plural subject "We" in the sentence. "Were" is the past tense of the verb "to be" and is used when referring to multiple people or things.Rate this question:
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- 2.
Choose the correct sentence.
- A.
Was my daughter playing the piano last night?
- B.
My daughter was playing the piano last night?
- C.
Playing was my daughter the piano last night?
- D.
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.Rate this question:
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- 3.
What was this woman doing at 9 o'clock last night?
- A.
She was reading a book.
- B.
She were reading a book.
- C.
She was having a shower.
- D.
She were having a shower.
Correct Answer
C. 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".Rate this question:
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- 4.
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 newspaperExplanation
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."Rate this question:
- 5.
Complete the sentence with one word. I was ... to the radio when my mother entered the room.
Correct Answer
listeningExplanation
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.Rate this question:
- 6.
Complete the sentence with one word. My father ... washing the car when it started to rain.
Correct Answer
wasExplanation
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.Rate this question:
- 7.
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
sawExplanation
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.Rate this question:
- 8.
Snow White was sleeping when the dwarves arrived.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
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.Rate this question:
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- 9.
Timon and Pumbaa were walking when they found Simba in The Lion King.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
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.Rate this question:
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- 10.
Robert and Tara ... when Peter ... .
- A.
Were preparing dinner - was arriving
- B.
Were preparing dinner - arrived
- C.
Prepared dinner - was arriving
- D.
Prepared dinner - arrive
Correct Answer
B. Were preparing dinner - arrivedExplanation
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."Rate this question:
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- 11.
My sister was ... in the sea while I was calling her.
- A.
Swimming
- B.
Swim
- C.
Swims
- D.
Swam
Correct Answer
A. SwimmingExplanation
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.Rate this question:
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- 12.
Tick the correct sentences.
- A.
Sheila was not writing a letter to John at 10 o'clock last night.
- B.
We was watching a new DVD at home at that time.
- C.
I was seeing a lot of animals in the zoo.
- D.
They were flying to Washington when we were talking.
- E.
I was thinking about my family on holiday.
- F.
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.
D. They were flying to Washington when we were talking.
E. 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.Rate this question:
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- 13.
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(s)
was doingExplanation
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."Rate this question:
- 14.
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(s)
were singingExplanation
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.Rate this question:
- 15.
My cousins ... (cook) dinner when we arrived at their place.
Correct Answer(s)
were cookingExplanation
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.Rate this question:
- 16.
I ... the fence while dad ... in the garden.
- A.
Fixed - digged
- B.
Fixing - digging
- C.
Was fixing - dug
- D.
Was fixing - was digging
Correct Answer
D. Was fixing - was diggingExplanation
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.Rate this question:
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- 17.
I ... for my History test when Hugh ... home.
- A.
Was studying - come
- B.
Were studying - came
- C.
Was studying - came
- D.
Studied - was coming
Correct Answer
C. Was studying - cameExplanation
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.Rate this question:
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- 18.
Were these people running some minutes ago?
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
A. TrueExplanation
The question asks whether the people were running some minutes ago. The answer "True" implies that the people were indeed running some minutes ago.Rate this question:
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- 19.
I ... (spend) too much money last month.
Correct Answer
spentExplanation
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.Rate this question:
- 20.
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 sleepingExplanation
Ros was in the middle of sleeping when she suddenly heard a strange noise coming from the kitchen.Rate this question:
- 21.
This man was cleaning his teeth a couple of minutes ago.
- A.
True
- B.
False
Correct Answer
B. FalseExplanation
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.Rate this question:
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- 22.
Complete the following sentence with the correct form of the verb in brackets. When I left the building, the sun ... (shine).
Correct Answer
was shiningExplanation
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.Rate this question:
- 23.
Complete the following sentence with one word. Yesterday, the Smith brothers ... wearing shorts and white T shirts.
Correct Answer
wereExplanation
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.Rate this question:
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Current Version
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Mar 22, 2023Quiz Edited by
ProProfs Editorial Team -
Apr 18, 2012Quiz Created by
Csabiteacher
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