Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.

⛺

Camping & The Outdoors

Past Continuous with While and When

⏱️ 12 minutes • Level A2

📋 How to use this lesson

For the Teacher:

Guide learners through the four rules in four minutes, then give them eight minutes for the tasks.

Check answers together by asking learners to read each full outdoor sentence out loud.

For the Learner:

First, read the four grammar rules and look closely at the trail examples.

Next, finish all twelve practice items and use the clue word in brackets if you need help.

A cozy outdoor campsite in a pine forest at twilight, an orange campfire burning warmly, a green canvas tent, a cooking

At the campsite: Rangers protect wildlife while campers cook over the stove and walk the trails.

🌲 Four Grammar Rules on the Trail

Learn how we describe actions happening at a specific time in the wild.

Making the Past Continuous

was / were + verb-ing

We form the past continuous with was or were + verb-ing. Use was after I, he, she and it, and use were after you, we and they. We drop the final -e in make → making and double the last letter in run → running.

🔹 The ranger was checking the trail.

🔹 We were setting up our tent near the campsite.

Negatives and Questions

wasn't / weren't & Was / Were...?

For a negative sentence we say wasn't or weren't + verb-ing. Do not use didn't with a verb-ing form. For a question we put Was or Were before the subject person or thing.

🔹 Were you sleeping when the storm began?

🔹 They weren't using the compass correctly in the dark.

Joining with "When" (Interrupted Action)

Long Action + when + Short Action

When joins a long action in the past continuous to a short action in the past simple that interrupted it. The short action always comes right after when. Avoid putting the past continuous verb straight after when in this pattern.

🔹 My brother was making tea when the stove stopped.

🔹 A mosquito bit my arm when I was holding the flashlight.

Joining with "While" (Ongoing Background)

while + was/were + verb-ing

While joins an action that was already going on over time, so we say while + was or were + verb-ing. If the sentence starts with While, we put a comma in the middle between the two ideas. If while is in the middle, we do not need a comma.

🔹 While Dad was cutting wood, Mum was reading a map.

🔹 While we were paddling the canoe, we saw some wildlife.

🎒 Outdoor Practice Tasks (1 to 12)

Work through the four types of practice below. Use the hint in brackets if needed.

Part 1: Choose the correct sentence

Question 1 of 12 (spelling)

Choose the sentence with the correct past continuous form and spelling:

____ Two deer was runing across the trail ____ Two deer were running across the trail ____ Two deer were runing across the trail

Question 2 of 12 (negative)

Choose the sentence with the correct negative form:

____ The campers weren't using the gas stove ____ The campers didn't using the gas stove ____ The campers wasn't using the gas stove

Question 3 of 12 (question)

Choose the sentence with the correct question word order:

____ You were paddling the wooden canoe on the lake? ____ Did you paddling the wooden canoe on the lake? ____ Were you paddling the wooden canoe on the lake?

Part 2: Join the two ideas with "when"

Question 4 of 12 (interrupt)

Join these two ideas into one sentence using when:

Idea 1: We were sitting by the campfire.
Idea 2: The park ranger arrived.

Type the complete sentence below (end with a period):

____

Question 5 of 12 (action)

Join these two ideas into one sentence using when:

Idea 1: Emma was walking along the rocky trail.
Idea 2: She saw amazing wildlife.

Type the complete sentence below (end with a period):

____

Question 6 of 12 (time)

Join these two ideas into one sentence using when:

Idea 1: I was searching for the tent pins.
Idea 2: My flashlight battery died.

Type the complete sentence below (end with a period):

____

Part 3: Fill in the gaps

Question 7 of 12 (continuous)

Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb hike:

While we ____ through the deep forest, we spotted unusual wildlife in the trees.

Question 8 of 12 (past)

Complete the sentence with the correct form of the verb bite:

Lucas was resting at the campsite when a hungry mosquito ____ his neck.

Question 9 of 12 (parallel)

Complete the sentence with the correct continuous form of hold:

While Sarah was looking at the paper map, Liam ____ the compass to check our direction.

Part 4: Correct the error in a friend's message

Question 10 of 12 (short)

Read this message from Toby. There is one mistake in the highlighted sentence:

💬 Toby says:

"Hey! We had some trouble last night. I was heating beans on the stove when heavy rain was starting. Everything got wet quickly!"

How should Toby write the underlined sentence?

____ I was heating beans on the stove when heavy rain started ____ I heated beans on the stove when heavy rain was starting ____ I was heating beans on the stove when heavy rain starts

Question 11 of 12 (subject)

Read this message from Mia. Find and fix the verb error:

💬 Mia says:

"You won't believe it! While we was setting up camp, our canoe floated away down the river!"

Which word in Mia's sentence is wrong, and what should it be?

____ Change 'floated' to 'floating' ____ Change 'was' to 'were' ____ Change 'setting' to 'setted'

Question 12 of 12 (form)

Read this post by Leo on the trail group chat:

💬 Leo says:

"We got lost for an hour. While Jack was follow the compass, he walked in a circle!"

Write the correct past continuous form of the verb follow to fix Leo's message:

____

Great Trail Work!

You now know how to describe past continuous actions using was / were and join them smoothly with while and when on outdoor adventures.

Grammar: Past Continuous with While and When

Camping & The Outdoors

📋 How to use this lesson

🌲 Four Grammar Rules on the Trail

Making the Past Continuous

Negatives and Questions

Joining with "When" (Interrupted Action)

Joining with "While" (Ongoing Background)

🎒 Outdoor Practice Tasks (1 to 12)

Great Trail Work!

Related lessons

Reading: Yellowstone National Park Rules

IELTS Speaking: Camping and the Outdoors

Camping and the Outdoors: Vocabulary and Pronunciation

Writing: Camping and the Outdoors

Grammar: My Last Holiday

Grammar A2: Rules and Signs