Describe what was happening when something else happenedصف ما كان يحدث حين وقع شيء آخر

The idea, simply

The past continuous (was or were + verb-ing) describes an activity in progress in the past, and the past simple describes the short event that interrupted it. Use when before the short event and while before the activity in progress: I was cooking when the phone rang. While I was cooking, the phone rang.

Examples

• I was cooking when the phone rang.

• While we were waiting, it started to rain.

• What were you doing at nine last night?

Lesson words

• whileبينما
  While I was working, he slept.
• suddenlyفجأة
  Suddenly, the lights went out.
• ringيرنّ
  The phone rang twice.
• happenيحدث
  What happened next?
• accidentحادث
  Nobody was hurt in the accident.

Lesson exercises

1. Put the words in the correct order.
2. Complete the gap: They ___ sleeping when I arrived.
3. Choose the correct English sentence.
4. Which action was in progress in: I was reading when she called?
5. Describe an event that interrupted an activity in progress.