Casa ESL · B1 Intermediate · Unit 3 of 20 · Step 1
Past Continuous + Past Simple (Narrative Tenses)
Name
Date
Vocabulary
suddenly
adverbQuickly and unexpectedly.
"Suddenly, the lights went out."
meanwhile
adverbAt the same time as something else is happening.
"I was cooking. Meanwhile, my sister was setting the table."
witness
verbTo see something happen, especially an accident or crime.
"Several people witnessed the incident."
interrupt
verbTo stop something from continuing for a short time.
"A loud noise interrupted the concert."
realise
verbTo become aware of something you did not know before.
"She realised she had left her wallet at home."
narrative
nounA story or an account of events.
"The film has a complex narrative."
background
nounThe situation or conditions in which something takes place.
"Music was playing in the background."
unforgettable
adjectiveSo good, bad, or unusual that you will always remember it.
"It was an unforgettable evening."
Grammar Focus
Past continuous + past simple (narrative tenses)
Use the past continuous (was/were + -ing) to describe a longer background action or to set the scene. Use the past simple for a shorter, completed action that interrupts the background action. Combine them with 'when' or 'while': 'I was walking home when it started to rain' or 'While she was reading, the phone rang.'
I was walking to work when I saw an old friend.
While they were having dinner, the fire alarm went off.
The sun was shining and birds were singing when we arrived at the park.
She was talking on the phone when she tripped over the cat.
Exercises
Exercise 1
Complete each sentence with the past continuous or past simple form of the verb in brackets.
1. I (read) a book when the doorbell (ring).
2. While we (drive) to the airport, it (start) to snow.
3. She (cook) dinner when she (cut) her finger.
4. The children (play) outside when it (begin) to rain.
5. He (listen) to music, so he (not hear) the knock.
Exercise 2
Choose the correct combination of tenses.
1. While I ___ for the bus, I ___ an interesting poster.
2. They ___ a film when the power ___ out.
3. She ___ down the street when she ___ into her teacher.
Reading
An Unexpected Meeting
Last autumn, I was travelling through the south of France by train. It was a grey afternoon, and rain was falling against the windows. I was reading a novel when the train suddenly stopped at a small station. A woman sat down opposite me and smiled. We started talking, and I discovered she was a journalist from Buenos Aires who was writing a book about European railways. We talked for three hours while the train was crossing the countryside. When we arrived in Marseille, we exchanged email addresses. That chance meeting led to a wonderful friendship. Sometimes the best moments in life happen when you are not expecting them.
1. What was the writer doing when the train stopped?
2. What was the woman's profession and what was she doing?
Speaking
Discuss these questions with a partner or your teacher.
Writing
Write a short story (8–10 sentences) about something surprising or unusual that happened to you. Use the past continuous to set the scene and the past simple for the main events.
Example: It was a cold December evening. Snow was falling softly and the streets were quiet. I was walking home from work when I heard someone calling my name. I turned around and saw my childhood friend Miguel. He was carrying a guitar and wearing a big smile. He told me he had just moved to the city.
Answer Key — For Teacher Use
Exercise 1
1. was reading / rang · 2. were driving / started · 3. was cooking / cut · 4. were playing / began · 5. was listening / didn't hear
Exercise 2
1. was waiting / noticed · 2. were watching / went · 3. was walking / bumped
Reading Comprehension
1. The writer was reading a novel when the train stopped. · 2. She was a journalist from Buenos Aires who was writing a book about European railways.