Page 34 - Grammar for Great Writing B

Common Error 2.2 Is the past progressive form correct?

living
He was live in Washington, D.C., when he decided to run for political office.
working
In the early 1960s, politicians were worked to pass civil rights legislation.

RemembeR: Use was / were + verb + -ing with the past progressive.

ACTIVITY 5 Common Error 2.2

There is one incorrect past progressive verb form in each sentence. Underline and
correct the error.

1. A majority of the young voters, those between the ages of 18 and 24, did not
support the local candidate who was run for the office of state senator.

2. Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 was fly from Malaysia to China when it disappeared.

3. Only 31 percent of the citizens said the new insurance rules were work well.

4. When Czechoslovakia split into the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 1993, some
people thought that the two countries were not do the correct thing.
5. In the 1997 car accident that killed Princess Diana, the driver was possibly drive
more than 100 miles per hour.

6. The study focused on 86 Spanish speakers and 92 Arabic speakers who were
attend an English language program in Orange County, California.

7. In the survey, citizens indicated that local traffic was become a problem for the
community because of all the tourists who were visiting the area.

8. Because the cost of tuition was increase, many students decided to study part time.

Common Error 2.3 Do you need simple past or past progressive?

were crossing sank
The soldiers crossed the Potomac in a storm when their boats were sinking.
were waiting
At 6:30 a.m., hundreds of voters waited in line at the election polling stations.
saw
Upon their arrival in the colonies, the English settlers were seeing Native Americans for the first time.

RemembeR: • Use simple past for a completed action or action that interrupts another action already in
progress.
• Use past progressive for actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past.
• Nonaction verbs (verbs that describe a state) are usually not in the past progressive form.

24 Unit 2 Writing about the Past

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