Active Grammar: What were you doing?

ESL Materials: Speaking Skills

Practise the past continuous tense (was/were + ___ing) in a natural English conversation.

 Active Grammar (.pdf)

YouTube: Active Grammar 02 - What were you doing?

2. What were you doing?

Conversation

Repeat each line of the conversation 4 times.

A:    What were you doing in the kitchen?

B:    Oh, I was just looking for something to eat.

A:    Did you remember to feed the cat?

B:    Oh sorry, I wasn't thinking.

Now shadow your teacher reading the conversation 4 times.

Next, practise the conversation, changing "A" and "B" roles with your partner.

Substitute

Replace the underlined words with the following, and practise the conversation:

  • getting a biscuit,   dog
  • making a sandwich,   goldfish
  • making some soup,   chickens
  • washing the dishes,   children

Produce

Think of new words to complete the blanks. Use the following phrases so that you can THINK and SPEAK at the same time:

  • What was I doing?
  • Let me see...
  • Let me think...
  • That's a good question!

Challenge!

Finally, try the conversation without looking at it!

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