With this lesson, students will master the use of the Past Continuous tense to describe in-progress actions, interrupted events, and background scenes. Perfect for boosting narrative confidence and grammar accuracy in storytelling.

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lesson overview

This A2-B1-level ESL lesson focuses on the Past Continuous tense and how to use it to describe actions in progress, interrupted activities, and set the scene in storytelling. Students will explore the form and use of the tense through practical, visual, and creative activities. The lesson is available in both a printable format and an online presentation, designed for smooth navigation in presentation mode using  only the spacebar.

Target Audience:

  • Level: A2-B1 (Pre-Intermediate – Intermediate)
  • Best for: Adults, teens, and older children

Content Breakdown:

  • Warm-Up: 
  • Grammar Focus
  • Sentence – Function Matching
  • Gap-Fill Exercise
  • Picture-Based Practice
  • Past Continuous & Past Simple Story Completion
  • Storytelling Words Practice
  • Finish the Sentence – Speaking Activity
  • Tell A Story in 3 Ways
  • Word Chain Storytelling Exercise
  • Wrap-Up Discussion

HOMEWORK (Extra Language Immersion):

Video and Quiz:

Watch a short video scene from a classic film and summarize the events using the Past Continuous and Simple.