Past Continuous with When and While

When and While

 Use of Past Progressive

• puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past
  o Example: He was playing football.
• two actions happening at the same time (in the past)
  o Example: While she was preparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.
• action going on at a certain time in the past
  o Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.

Signal Words of Past Progressive

• when, while, as long as

I. Complete with the verbs in brackets. 

1) While I _____________, the school bus__________________. (to text) (to arrive)

2) Cindy _______________her leg while she ________________. (to break) (to snowboard)

3) He________________to the radio while he_________________ breakfast. (to listen) (to prepare)

4) My father _____________at 70 km/h when a policeman _______________him. (to drive) (to stop)

5) The girl ________________ that the boy _________________ her. (to notice) (to watch)