It’s been a while since I’ve shared any exercises, and as I’m a bit busy for the next few months I thought this would be a good time to do some lighter articles with material taken from the ELB books. So, today I’ve got a mixed past continuous uses exercise, a gap-fill combined with a reading exercise.

This exercise actually continues a series first started with my past simple tense uses exercise, Felix and the Umbrella, and features in The English Tenses Exercise Book.

The idea is simple: the verbs need to be put into the correct past continuous form. But in doing so, the text demonstrates the different uses of the past continuous. 

Mixed Past Continuous Uses Exercise

Complete the text below by putting the information in brackets into the most appropriate past continuous form, without contractions.

An Unsatisfactory Restaurant

When I (1) _______________ (to search) for a new restaurant, I discovered Calbini’s had opened in the town centre. They (2) _______________ (to run) a promotion that week: three courses for £12.95. Very cheap, as others nearby (3) _______________ (to provide) a main course for £18! (4) _______________ (the place / to sell) itself short? Or (5) _______________ (it / to offer) a worse service?

I visited on a Wednesday night with my colleague Gunther. He (6) _______________ (to try) to decide what to eat on the way, from the online menu, but he (7) _______________ (to discuss / not) it with me. Gunther is a quiet man.

On our arrival to the restaurant, the building (8) _______________ (to bustle) with people. Very busy for a Wednesday night! And the staff                  (9) _______________ (to handle / not) it well: waiters (10) _______________ (to run) around, hot-faced, and the man who welcomed us was tired and (11) _______________ (to smile / not). Moreover, what (12) _______________ (he / to wear)? Not a smart uniform, but brightly patterned rags covered in stains. Why (13) _______________ (the managers / dressing) their staff like clowns?

Our table was at the back of the room, next to the kitchen. The door (14) _______________ (to open / and / to close) constantly. Even worse, we (15) _______________ (to wait) for fifteen minutes before a waiter gave us a menu. The writing was badly printed: (16) _______________ (how / they / to expect) anyone to read this?

We used Gunther’s online menu instead. By then, my stomach (17) _______________ (to rumble). We had to give our orders twice because the waiter (18) _______________ (to listen / not). He                                    (19) _______________ (to watch) the other tables; with so many people there, (20) _______________ (to plan / he) a route of attack?

Eventually, our order was placed: for the main course, I (21) _______________ (to have) the calzone and Gunther chose tortellini.

Our starters arrived – prawns for both of us. The prawns (22) _______________ (to swim) in brine. Undercooked. I stood and demanded to know if they (23) _______________ (to serve) us garbage.

The waiters, of course, were too busy to notice. The other customers     (24) _______________ (to become) noisier as the restaurant only got busier. And now, as I (25) _______________ (to stand), I saw the food on other tables. All as bad as ours.

I told Gunther we (26) _______________ (to leave) at once, only to discover he (27) _______________ (to eat) the vile prawns!

“It’s not bad,” he told me. Clearly he (28) _______________ (to come / not) with me.

He wasn’t the only one happy. Other people (29) _______________ (to laugh). They (30) _______________ (to enjoy) this cheap, busy restaurant! (31) _______________ (the chefs / to put) something special in the food? Or (32) _______________ (everyone / to question / not) the quality because it was so cheap?

Either way, it (33) _______________ (to fool / not) me. I gathered my things and left. The last time I saw him, Gunther (34) _______________ (to devour) my meal, too.

Mixed Past Continuous Uses Exercise – Answers

The complete correct text follows the numbered answers below.

1. was searching
2. were running
3. were providing
4. Was the place selling
5. was it offering
6. was trying
7. was not discussing
8. was bustling
9. were not handling
10. were running
11. was not smiling
12. was he wearing
13. were the managers dressing
14. was opening and closing
15. were waiting
16. how were they expecting
17. was rumbling
18. was not listening
19. was watching
20. was he planning
21. was having
22. were swimming
23. were serving
24. were becoming
25. was standing
26. were leaving
27. was eating
28. was not coming
29. were laughing
30. were enjoying
31. Were the chefs putting
32. was everyone not questioning
33. was not fooling
34. was devouring

An Unsatisfactory Restaurant

When I (1) was searching for a new restaurant, I discovered Calbini’s had opened in the town centre. They (2) were running a promotion that week: three courses for £12.95. Very cheap, as others nearby (3) were providing a main course for £18! (4) Was the place selling itself short? Or (5) was it offering a worse service?

I visited on a Wednesday night with my colleague Gunther. He (6) was trying to decide what to eat on the way, from the online menu, but he (7) was not discussing it with me. Gunther is a quiet man.

On our arrival to the restaurant, the building (8) was bustling with people. Very busy for a Wednesday night! And the staff (9) were not handling it well: waiters (10) were running around, hot-faced, and the man who welcomed us was tired and (11) was not smiling. Moreover, what (12) was he wearing? Not a smart uniform, but brightly patterned rags covered in stains. Why (13) were the managers dressing their staff like clowns?

Our table was at the back of the room, next to the kitchen. The door (14) was opening and closing constantly. Even worse, we (15) were waiting for fifteen minutes before a waiter gave us a menu. The writing was badly printed: (16) how were they expecting anyone to read this?

We used Gunther’s online menu instead. By then, my stomach (17) was rumbling. We had to give our orders twice because the waiter (18) was not listening. He (19) was watching the other tables; with so many people there, (20) was he planning a route of attack?

Eventually, our order was placed: for the main course, I (21) was having the calzone and Gunther chose tortellini.

Our starters arrived – prawns for both of us. The prawns (22) were swimming in brine. Undercooked. I stood and demanded to know if they (23) were serving us garbage.

The waiters, of course, were too busy to notice. The other customers (24) were becoming noisier as the restaurant only got busier. And now, as I (25) was standing, I saw the food on other tables. All as bad as ours.

I told Gunther we (26) were leaving at once, only to discover he (27) was eating the vile prawns!

“It’s not bad,” he told me. Clearly he (28) was not coming with me.

He wasn’t the only one happy. Other people (29) were laughing. They (30) were enjoying this cheap, busy restaurant! (31) Were the chefs putting something special in the food? Or (32) was everyone not questioning the quality because it was so cheap?

Either way, it (33) was not fooling me. I gathered my things and left. The last time I saw him, Gunther (34) was devouring my meal, too.

Want to master the English tenses?

Learn all the rules with The English Tenses Practical Grammar Guide, and practise them with The English Tenses Exercise Book, which contains 160 exercises.