Past continuous tense – English Grammar Test for A2
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Reading Passage
Yesterday evening was very busy at my house. At 6 p.m., my mother was cooking dinner in the kitchen. She was making pasta and salad. My father was fixing the car in the garage. He was working hard because the engine was making a strange noise. My little brother was playing computer games in his room, and my sister was talking to her best friend on the phone. At the same time, I was studying for my English test in the living room. While I was reading my book, my grandmother was knitting a scarf. The dog was sleeping under the table, and the cat was chasing a ball of yarn around the room. Suddenly, the phone rang, and everyone stopped what they were doing. My mother answered the call while the rest of us were watching her carefully.
1 What was the mother doing at 6 p.m.?
(a) She was fixing the car.
(b) She was cooking dinner.
(c) She was knitting a scarf.
2 What food was the mother preparing?
(a) Pasta and salad
(b) Soup and bread
(c) Fish and rice
3 Where was the father working?
(a) In the kitchen
(b) In the garage
(c) In the garden
4 What was wrong with the car?
(a) The engine was making a strange noise.
(b) The tires were flat.
(c) The lights were broken.
5 What was the little brother doing?
(a) He was watching TV.
(b) He was playing computer games.
(c) He was sleeping.
6 Who was the sister talking to?
(a) Her teacher
(b) Her best friend
(c) Her cousin
7 What was the narrator doing?
(a) Studying for an English test
(b) Playing the guitar
(c) Talking on the phone
8 Where was the narrator studying?
(a) In the bedroom
(b) In the living room
(c) In the garden
9 What was the grandmother making?
(a) A sweater
(b) A scarf
(c) A hat
10 What was the dog doing?
(a) Eating food
(b) Sleeping under the table
(c) Barking loudly
11 Where was the dog sleeping?
(a) On the sofa
(b) Under the table
(c) In the garden
12 What was the cat playing with?
(a) A ball of yarn
(b) A toy mouse
(c) A shoe
13 What suddenly happened?
(a) The doorbell rang.
(b) The phone rang.
(c) The lights went out.
14 What did everyone do when the phone rang?
(a) They kept working.
(b) They stopped what they were doing.
(c) They left the house.
15 Who answered the phone?
(a) The father
(b) The mother
(c) The grandmother
16 What was the family doing while the mother answered the phone?
(a) Watching TV
(b) Watching her carefully
(c) Talking to each other
17 At 6 p.m., who was in the kitchen?
(a) The sister
(b) The mother
(c) The grandmother
18 At 6 p.m., who was in the garage?
(a) The father
(b) The brother
(c) The dog
19 At 6 p.m., who was in the living room?
(a) The narrator and grandmother
(b) The sister and father
(c) The mother and dog
20 Who was knitting?
(a) The sister
(b) The grandmother
(c) The mother
21 Who was chasing a ball of yarn?
(a) The dog
(b) The cat
(c) The brother
22 Who was sleeping?
(a) The brother
(b) The dog
(c) The cat
23 What was the father fixing?
(a) A bicycle
(b) A car
(c) A chair
24 What was the narrator studying?
(a) History
(b) Math
(c) English
25 Where was the brother?
(a) In his room
(b) In the garage
(c) In the garden
26 Who was playing computer games?
(a) The sister
(b) The brother
(c) The narrator
27 Who was on the phone?
(a) The grandmother
(b) The sister
(c) The father
28 What was happening in the house?
(a) Everyone was busy doing something.
(b) Everyone was sleeping.
(c) Everyone was outside.
29 How did the family react when the phone rang?
(a) They continued their activities.
(b) They stopped and paid attention.
(c) They went to the garage.
30 What tense is mainly used in the passage?
(a) Past Simple
(b) Past Continuous
(c) Present Continuous
Answer
1 (b) She was cooking dinner – Clearly stated at the beginning.
2 (a) Pasta and salad – Mother was making pasta and salad.
3 (b) In the garage – Father was fixing the car in the garage.
4 (a) The engine was making a strange noise – Mentioned directly.
5 (b) He was playing computer games – Brother’s activity.
6 (b) Her best friend – Sister was on the phone with her best friend.
7 (a) Studying for an English test – Narrator’s action.
8 (b) In the living room – Narrator was studying there.
9 (b) A scarf – Grandmother was knitting a scarf.
10 (b) Sleeping under the table – Dog’s action.
11 (b) Under the table – Location of the dog.
12 (a) A ball of yarn – Cat was chasing this.
13 (b) The phone rang – Sudden event.
14 (b) They stopped what they were doing – Reaction.
15 (b) The mother – She answered the call.
16 (b) Watching her carefully – Family’s reaction.
17 (b) The mother – In the kitchen cooking.
18 (a) The father – In the garage fixing the car.
19 (a) The narrator and grandmother – Both in the living room.
20 (b) The grandmother – She was knitting.
21 (b) The cat – Chasing yarn.
22 (b) The dog – Sleeping under the table.
23 (b) A car – Father’s task.
24 (c) English – Narrator’s subject.
25 (a) In his room – Brother’s location.
26 (b) The brother – Playing games.
27 (b) The sister – Talking on the phone.
28 (a) Everyone was busy doing something – Main idea of the passage.
29 (b) They stopped and paid attention – Family reaction.
30 (b) Past Continuous – The main tense in the passage.