A surprising moment in the past

Choose the correct form and say the complete sentence aloud. 🎯

1. I was walking / walked home when I saw Anna. (walk)
2. While they were having / had dinner, the phone rang. (have)
3. He was looking for / looked for his keys when the bus arrived. (look for)
4. We were watching / watched TV when the lights went out. (watch)
5. When I opened / was opening the door, the baby was sleeping. (open)
6. While she was studying / studied, her friend texted her. (study)
7. The cat was jumping / jumped on the table when we came in. (jump)
8. They were playing / played football when it started to rain. (play)
9. When Dad arrived, Mum was making / made dinner. (make)
10. I dropped / was dropping my bag while I was running for the bus. (drop)

Build a story with two past actions

When often introduces the short event.

While often connects two actions in progress.

Connect the background action to the event

Connect each action in progress with the event that interrupted it.

Connect two actions happening together

Use while to connect these actions.

Put the morning story in order

Arrange the events from first to last.

Put the dinner story in order

Arrange the events from first to last.

Complete the interrupted actions

Say the whole sentence after you complete it.

1. She [___] a book when the cat jumped on the table.
2. While we were eating, the phone [___] .
3. I was walking home when I [___] my old friend.
4. They [___] dinner while their guests were arriving.

A strange morning story

Listen once for the main story. Listen again and notice the actions in progress and the short events.

1. What was Mia doing when the dog ran into the street?
2. What happened to Mia’s coffee?
3. What did the dog take?
4. What was the boss’s cat doing when the computer stopped working?

Describe the action scenes

Look at each image. Say what was happening first. Then say what happened. Use: “She was ___ when ___.”

What was the woman doing? What happened suddenly?

What were the family doing? What happened suddenly?

Tell your surprising story

Topic: Something funny or surprising that happened to me.

Use this story path:

1. Set the scene: Where were you? What were you doing?
2. Add a sudden event.
3. Add another action happening at the same time.
4. Finish the story.

Useful language:

• I was ___ when ___.
• While I was ___, ___.
• Suddenly, ___.
• Then ___.
• In the end, ___.

Try to use:

• two actions in progress
• two short past events
• when and while

Write about a normal evening

Write 50–100 words.

Opening: It was a normal evening. I was sitting at home when suddenly...

Include:

• a normal background action
• one surprising event
• one sentence with while
• an ending

Useful connectors: when, while, suddenly, then, after that

Quick plan:

Key ideas and next step

Connect each word or tense with its meaning.

For next time: Write 6–8 sentences about a surprising day. Include:

• three Past Continuous forms
• three Past Simple forms
• one sentence with when
• one sentence with while