Inter American University of Puerto Rico

Guayama Campus

Title V Cooperative Project

Past Progressive Module

Prof. Marisol Piazza Aguirre

Instructions

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Purpose

This module proposes to expand the basic

teaching-learning activities of English included in

the Title V Cooperative Project: “Improving Academic Outcomes Through a Teaching-Based Consortium Program for the Core Curriculum”. The project is integrated by the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce from where it is directed, the Arecibo, Mayagüez and Guayama Campuses, the School of Plastic Arts of Puerto Rico and Inter American University of Puerto Rico, Guayama Campus.

Introduction

One of the most important verb tenses an ESL (English Second Language) student should master to communicate effectively in English orally as well as in written form is the Past Progressive Tense.

This module has been designed for all college students but specially for you students who are registered in the basic English as a Second Language I, GEEN 1101 course. In this module, you will study and review the rules of how to use the Past Progressive Tense correctly.

Objectives

General Objective: By the end of this module, the student will develop

confidence and demonstrate knowledge using the Past Progressive correctly to express actions that were occurring at specific times in the past.

Specific Objective: At the end of this module, the student will use

affirmative and negative sentences, direct questions, short yes/no answers, wh-questions (information questions) and answers giving pertinent information in the Past Progressive.

Pre-Test (Affirmative Sentences)

Select the best answer.__ 1. I ___ last night when the electricity went out. (A) am studying (B) was studying (C) studying__ 2. We ___ tennis yesterday at 6:00 P.M. (A) are playing (B) was playing (C) were playing__ 3. John ___ and Cecilia was taking pictures. (A) was driving (B) is driving (C) was driveing__ 4. While mother ___ yesterday evening, I prepared the salad. (A) was cooking (B) is cooking (C) cooks__ 5. They ___ the house when we arrived unexpectedly. (A) was cleaning (B) are cleaning (C) were cleaning

Pre-Test (Negative Sentences)

__ 6. The little boy ___ when he fell into the pool. (A) isn’t running (B) wasn’t running (C) wasn’t runing__ 7. Mr. and Mrs. Williams ___ when the robbery occurred. (A) weren’t traveling (B) aren’t traveling (C) wasn’t traveling__ 8. The printers at the Computer Lab. ____ last week. (A) weren’t working (B) wasn’t working (C) aren’t working__ 9. The sun ___ brightly this morning. (A) weren’t shining (B) wasn’t shineing (C) wasn’t shining__10. Sharon ____ attention in class yesterday. (A) isn’t paying (B) wasn’t paying (C) weren’t paying

Pre-Test (Yes/No Questions)

__ 11. ___ you ___ to the news last night ? (A) Was, listening (B) Are, listening (C) Were, listening__ 12. ___ Carlos ___ his car yesterday afternoon ? (A) Is, fixing (B) Was, fixing (C) Was, fixxing__ 13. ___ we ___ at the meeting last Monday ? (A) Were, interrupting (B) Were, interupting (C) Are, interrupting__ 14. ___ the stores ___ when you arrived ? (A) Were, closeing (B) Are, closing (C) Were, closing__ 15. ___ the man ___ to his wife about the money he had spent. (A) Was, lying (B) Is, lying (C) Was, lieing

Pre-Test (Wh-Questions)

__ 16. Why ___ the audience ___ at the end of the movie ? (A) were, crying (B) was, crying (C) are, crying__ 17. Who ____ a lot last night ? (A) was sneezeing (B) was sneezing (C) is sneezing__ 18. When ___ they ___ for Christmas presents ? (A) was, shopping (B) were, shoping (C) were, shopping__ 19. Where ___ Robert and Paola ___ when you saw them ? (A) were, going (B) are, going (C) was, going__ 20. What ___ Angie ___ yesterday night ? (A) was, sewwing (B) were, sewing (C) was, sewing

Pre-Test Answer Key

1. B 11. C 2. C 12. B 3. A 13. A 4. A 14. C 5. C 15. A 6. B 16. B 7. A 17. B 8. A 18. C 9. C 19. A10. B 20. C

Pre-Test EvaluationTotal Correct Answers: 20 Excellent: Go to the Post-Test. 19 Very Good: Review the incorrect answer and go to the Post-Test. 18-12 Good: Review the incorrect answers, study the rules presented in this module, do the practice exercises and then go to the Post-Test. 11 or You Need More Practice: Study the module, review the less rules carefully and do the practice exercises. When you improve your score, you may go to the Post-Test.

Past Progressive

The Past Progressive has two parts:

BE (was/were) and Verb + ing

Examples:

1. I was watching TV at 10:30 last night.

2. He was reading when the explosion occurred.

3. They were painting while we were cleaning.

Past Progressive

Use the Past Progressive tense to:

Talk about activities that were or weren’t happening at a specific time in the past.

Example:

1. We were watching TV last night at 9:00.

2. We weren’t sleeping last night at 9:00.

Past Progressive

Talk about two or more activities that were happening at the same time.

Example:

1. With and: Jake was driving and Cecilia was taking

pictures.

2. With while: While Jake was driving, Cecilia was taking

pictures.

Past Progressive

Describe a scene when you tell a story

Example:

The sun was shining. Many people were swimming in the clear, blue water of the lake…

Language Notes

When while comes at the beginning of a sentence, add a comma.

When while comes in the middle of a sentence, do not add a comma.

Non-action verbs are not used in the past progressive tense:

Non-Action Verbs (Do not add -ing)

Senses Feelings Opinion Possession Mental Status

Other

feel feel agree belong forget be

hear hate believe have know cost

look like disagree own remember mean

see love feel understand need

smell think owe

sound want

taste

Some Examples of Past Tense Time Expressions

yesterday 10 minutes ago

yesterday morning 5 days ago

yesterday afternoon 3 weeks ago

yesterday evening 2 Saturdays ago

last night 4 months ago

last Friday… 7 years ago

last week 2 semesters ago

last weekend 2 summers ago

last month in 1970

last Christmas in the year 2000 etc…

Spelling Rules Rule # 1: Add -ing to the base form of most verbs. Examples: drink-drinking eat-eating play-playing

Rule # 2: If a verb ends in a silent -e, drop the final –e and add -ing.

Examples: smile-smiling receive-receiving

Spelling Rules Rule # 3: If a one-syllable verb ends in a consonant, a vowel, and a

consonant (CVC), double the last consonant before adding –ing.

Examples: sit-sitting run-running

Rule # 4: In two-syllable verbs that end in a consonant, a vowel, and a consonant (CVC), double the last consonant only if the last syllable is stressed.

Examples: admit-admitting (last syllable is stressed) whisper-whispering (first syllable is stressed)

Spelling Rules Rule # 5: If the verb ends in -ie, drop the -ie, add -y and then

add -ing. Examples: lie-lying die-dying

Rule # 6: Do not double the last consonant in verbs ending in -x or -w.

Examples: fix-fixing snow-snowing

Affirmative Sentences

Use: Subject Past of

BE

Verb +

-ing

I

He

She

It

was working.

You

We

They

were working.

Affirmative SentencesExamples: 1. I was working in the garden yesterday afternoon.

2. It was raining hard when they left this morning.

3. The dog was barking a lot last night.

4. Alex was painting the house and Luis was washing the cars.

5. The children were playing with sand at the beach while their mothers were talking.

6. Daniel and Mary were visiting their friends last summer.

Negative Sentences

Use: Subject Negative

Past of BE

Verb +

-ing

I

He

She

It

was not

(wasn’t)

working.

You

We

They

were not

(weren’t)

working.

Negative SentencesExamples: 1. I wasn’t working in the garden yesterday afternoon.

2. It wasn’t raining hard when they left this morning.

3. The dog wasn’t barking a lot last night.

4. Alex wasn’t painting the house and Luis wasn’t washing the cars.

5. The children weren’t playing with sand at the beach while their mothers were talking.

6. Daniel and Mary weren’t visiting their friends last summer.

Yes/No Questions and Short Answers

Yes/No Questions

Use: Past Tense of BE

Subject Verb + -ing

Was

I

he

she

it

working ?

Were

you

we

they

working ?

Yes/No Questions and Short Answers

Short Answers

Use: AFFIRMATIVE NEGATIVE

YES,

I was.

NO,

I wasn’t.

he was. he wasn’t.

she was. she wasn’t.

it was. it wasn’t.

you were. you weren’t.

we were. we weren’t.

they were. they weren’t.

Yes/No Questions and Short Answers

Examples: 1. Question: Were you working in the garden yesterday afternoon? Answers: Yes, I was. No, I wasn’t.

2. Question: Was it raining hard when they left ? Answers: Yes, it was. No, it wasn’t.

3. Question: Was the dog barking a lot last night ? Answers: Yes, it was. No, it wasn’t.

Yes/No Questions and Short Answers

4. Question: Was Alex painting the house ? Answers: Yes, he was. No, he wasn’t.

5. Question: Was Sally playing with sand at the beach while her mother was speaking on the cell phone ? Answers: Yes, she was. No, she wasn’t.

6. Question: Were Daniel and Mary visiting their friends last summer ?

Answers: Yes, they were. No, they weren’t.

Wh-Questions

WH-Questions

Use:

Wh-word Past

Tense of BE

Subject Base Form

of BE + ing

What

When

Where

Why

How

was

I

he

she

it reading?

were

you

we

they

Wh-Questions

Examples:

1. Question: Where were you working yesterday ?

Answer: I was working in the garden.

2. Question: When was it raining ?

Answer: It was raining this morning.

3. Question: Why was the dog barking a lot last night ?

Answer: It was barking because strange people were

passing by the house.

Wh-Questions

4. Question: Who was painting the house ? Answer: Alex was painting the house.

5. Question: What were the children playing with at the beach ? Answer : They were playing with sand.

6. Question: Who were Daniel and Mary visiting last summer ? Answer: They were visiting their friends.

Practice Exercise

Select the best answer.__ 1. We ___ at the bus stop when the accident occurred.

(A) was waiting (B) are waiting (C) were waiting

__ 2. Sarah ___ to her supervisor this morning.

(A) is speaking (B) was speaking (C) was speak

__ 3. Grandmother ___ on the balcony while we were playing cards.

(A) was siting (B) was sitting (C) is sitting

__ 4. Michael’s parents ___ him pay his bills last year.

(A) was helping (B) are helping (C) were helping

__ 5. My hands ___ while I was giving my oral presentation.

(A) were shaking (B) were shakeing (C) are shaking

Practice Exercise__ 6. Samuel ____ on time to his work last week.

(A) wasn’t arriving (B) isn’t arriving (C) wasn’t arriveing

__ 7. The fax machine ____ yesterday.

(A) isn’t working (B) weren’t working (C) wasn’t working

__ 8. The children ____ when they saw the dentist.

(A) aren’t crying (B) weren’t crying (C) wasn’t crying

__ 9. I ____ when Jenny fell off her bicycle.

(A) am not laughing (B) wasn’t laughing (C) wasn’t laugh

__10. The students ____ while they were taking an exam.

(A) wasn’t talking (B) aren’t talking (C) weren’t talking

Practice Exercise

__ 11. ___ Prof. Santiago ___ assignments last Monday ?

(A) Were, checking (B) Is, checking (C) Was, checking

__ 12. ___ you ___ in Miami five years ago ?

(A) Were, living (B) Was, living (C) Were, liveing

__ 13. ___ the employees ___ to each other at the meeting ?

(A) Were, whisppering (B) Were, whispering (C) Were, whisper

__ 14. ___ the airplane ___ when Henry arrived to the airport ?

(A) Was, leaveing (B) Is, leaving (C) Was, leaving

__ 15.___ the boys ___ basketball yesterday afternoon ?

(A) Were, play (B) Are, playing (C) Were, playing

Practice Exercise

__ 16. What ___ Victor ___ when you called him ?

(A) is, doing (B) was, doing (C) were, doing

__ 17. When ___ the actors ___ books and posters at the Mall ?

(A) are, signing (B) were, signing (C) were, signning

__ 18. Where ___ Laura ___ French last semester ?

(A) is, studying (B) were, studying (C) was, studying

__ 19. Who _____ loud music last night ?

(A) was playing (B) is playing (C) were playing

__ 20. Why ___ the fans ____ at the rock concert ?

(A) were, screamming (B) were, screaming (C) were, scream

Practice Exercise Answer Key

1. C 11. C 2. B 12. A 3. B 13. B 4. C 14. C 5. A 15. C 6. A 16. B 7. C 17. B 8. B 18. C 9. B 19. A10. C 20. B

Practice Exercise EvaluationTotal Correct Answers:

20 Excellent: Go to the Post-Test.

19 Very Good: Review the incorrect answer and

go to the Post-Test.

18-12 Good: Review the incorrect answers, consult

the module again and then go to the Post-Test. 11or You Need More Practice: Study the module,

less review the rules carefully and do the practice

exercises again. When you understand and

improve your score, you may go to the Post-Test.

Post Test (Affirmative Sentences)

Select the best answer.__ 1. I ___ last night when the electricity went out. (A) am studying (B) was studying (C) studying__ 2. We ___ tennis yesterday at 6:00 P.M. (A) are playing (B) was playing (C) were playing__ 3. John ___ and Cecilia was taking pictures. (A) was driving (B) is driving (C) was driveing__ 4. While mother ___ yesterday evening, I prepared the salad. (A) was cooking (B) is cooking (C) cooks__ 5. They ___ the house when we arrived unexpectedly. (A) was cleaning (B) are cleaning (C) were cleaning

Post Test (Negative Sentences)

__ 6. The little boy ___ when he fell into the pool. (A) isn’t running (B) wasn’t running (C) wasn’t runing__ 7. Mr. and Mrs. Williams ___ when the robbery occurred. (A) weren’t traveling (B) aren’t traveling (C) wasn’t traveling__ 8. The printers at the Computer Lab. ____ last week. (A) weren’t working (B) wasn’t working (C) aren’t working__ 9. The sun ___ brightly this morning. (A) weren’t shining (B) wasn’t shineing (C) wasn’t shining__10. Sharon ____ attention in class yesterday. (A) isn’t paying (B) wasn’t paying (C) weren’t paying

Post Test (Yes/No Questions)

__ 11. ___ you ___ to the news last night ? (A) Was, listening (B) Are, listening (C) Were, listening__ 12. ___ Carlos ___ his car yesterday afternoon ? (A) Is, fixing (B) Was, fixing (C) Was, fixxing__ 13. ___ we ___ at the meeting last Monday ? (A) Were, interrupting (B) Were, interupting (C) Are, interrupting__ 14. ___ the stores ___ when you arrived ? (A) Were, closeing (B) Are, closing (C) Were, closing__ 15. ___ the man ___ to his wife about the money he had spent. (A) Was, lying (B) Is, lying (C) Was, lieing

Post Test (Wh-Questions)

__ 16. Why ___ the audience ___ at the end of the movie ? (A) were, crying (B) was, crying (C) are, crying__ 17. Who ____ a lot last night ? (A) was sneezeing (B) was sneezing (C) is sneezing__ 18. When ___ they ___ for Christmas presents ? (A) was, shopping (B) were, shoping (C) were, shopping__ 19. Where ___ Robert and Paola ___ when you saw them ? (A) were, going (B) are, going (C) was, going__ 20. What ___ Angie ___ yesterday night ? (A) was, sewwing (B) were, sewing (C) was, sewing

Post Test Answer Key

1. B 11. C 2. C 12. B 3. A 13. A 4. A 14. C 5. C 15. A 6. B 16. B 7. A 17. B 8. A 18. C 9. C 19. A10. B 20. C

Post-Test Evaluation

Total Correct Answers:

20 Excellent: Congratulations! You have successfully

completed this module. You may work with a different

module if necessary.

19 Very Good: Review the incorrect answer. You may work

on a different module if necessary.

18-12 Good: Review the incorrect answers, review the areas of

difficulty and take the Post-Test again.

11 or You Need More Practice: I recommend that you review

less the complete module and take the Post-Test again.

Letter to the Student

Congratulations ! You have completed the Past Progressive module. If you really understand all of the rules and examples presented, you can work with a different module depending on your needs. However, if you still have some questions concerning the rules, I advise you to review this module again before studying a different module. Remember you learn by practicing, therefore use the Past Progressive in your daily conversations and written work.