Le prétérit en be + -ing : corrigé des exercices d’anglais 4e

1. I was listening to music.
2. My parents were watching the news. (sujet pluriel)
3. The dog was barking all night.
4. You were talking too loudly. (toujours were avec you)
5. Emma and I were walking to school. (Emma and I = we)
6. It was snowing in the mountains.
7. We were having lunch in the garden.
8. Jack was playing a video game.

1. She was swimming in the lake. (consonne doublée)
2. They were dancing at the party. (e muet supprimé)
3. I was writing an email to my cousin.
4. The children were running in the playground.
5. He was lying on the sofa. (-ie devient -y)
6. We were sitting near the window.
7. You were making a cake.
8. My sister was shopping in town.

1. I wasn’t sleeping.
2. They weren’t laughing.
3. Lucy wasn’t wearing a hat.
4. We weren’t working in the library.
5. The baby wasn’t crying.
6. You weren’t listening to me.

La négation porte sur l’auxiliaire : was not / were not, contractés en wasn’t / weren’t.

1. What was she reading?
2. Where were they going?
3. Why was Tom crying?
4. Who were you talking to? (on reprend « you » car la question s’adresse à « I »)
5. What were you waiting for? (ou What were we waiting for? selon la personne qui parle)
6. Was he doing his homework at nine o’clock?

1. I was cooking when the fire alarm went off. (événement bref)
2. While she was jogging, she lost her keys. (action longue)
3. The phone rang while I was having a bath.
4. We were playing cards when the lights went out.
5. While my parents were sleeping, I watched a film.
6. He broke his arm while he was skiing.
7. When the teacher came in, the pupils were shouting.

1. I was walking in the park when I saw a fox.
2. She was having a shower when the phone rang.
3. While we were watching TV, somebody knocked at the door.
4. They were playing football when it started to rain.
5. When I arrived, my friends were dancing.
6. He cut his finger while he was preparing dinner.
7. While Kate was reading, her cat jumped on the table.
8. We were driving home when we heard a strange noise.

Repère toujours l’action qui dure (be + -ing) et celle qui la coupe (prétérit simple).

1. I was tidying my room.
2. What were you doing at the weekend?
3. It wasn’t raining this morning.
4. She was sleeping when the alarm rang.
5. Where were they going?
6. While my father was cooking, I laid the table.

1. We were playing tennis. (were avec we)
2. I was watching a film at 8 p.m. (auxiliaire oublié)
3. She knew the answer. (know est un verbe d’état)
4. They were swimming in the sea. (m doublé)
5. Were you sleeping when I called? (V-ing obligatoire)
6. I was reading when the doorbell rang. (action brève au prétérit simple)
7. He wasn’t listening to the teacher.

1. Liam was playing the guitar.
2. Mrs Brown was watering the plants.
3. Zoe and Mia were baking cookies.
4. Mr Patel was fixing his bike.
5. The twins were swimming at the pool.
6. Grandpa was sleeping in his chair.
7. No, he wasn’t. He was fixing his bike.
8. No, they weren’t. They were swimming at the pool.

1. I was reading when you called.
2. It wasn’t raining this morning.
3. What were you doing at noon? (ou at midday)
4. While my mother was driving, I was sleeping. (deux actions longues simultanées)
5. We were waiting for the train when we saw Paul.
6. She wasn’t listening to me.

1. They were having dinner with friends.
2. It was stormy: the wind was blowing hard and rain was hitting the windows.
3. She was watching a mystery film on the sofa.
4. It was sleeping next to her.
5. She heard a noise at the front door.
6. Her brother opened the door. (He had forgotten his pyjamas.)

Exemple de réponse modèle :

Vérifie que chaque action en cours utilise was/were + V-ing et que les événements soudains sont au prétérit simple.