كيف تكون متعاونًا · Programme: Describing past actions · Grammar: The past progressive
By the end of this lesson, I can:
- Talk about the advantages of cooperation
- Form and use the past progressive: was / were + verb-ing
- Describe what people were doing at a moment in the past
- Put the correct stress on compound nouns and adjectives
- Continue the class project (step 2)
🖼️ Picture dictionary قاموس مصوّر
tap 🔊 to listen📚 كلمات الدرس
11 كلمة من هذا الدرس في القاموس المدرسي: المعنى بالعربية والفرنسية، والنطق، ومثال.
📖 Read: The Robot That Taught Me Teamwork أقرأ
Last March, our science teacher asked us to build a small robot in groups of four. I was with Skander, Mia and Walid. At first, I had a hard time. I didn’t trust the others, so I wanted to do everything myself.
One evening, I was sitting at my desk at eleven o’clock. I was reading the instructions for the third time, and I still couldn’t figure out how to connect the motor. My little brother was sleeping, and my parents were watching TV. I felt tired and alone.
The next day, while we were working in the lab, Mia showed me her drawing of the motor. Walid was writing a simple program, and Skander was cutting the pieces. Suddenly I understood: each of my peers had a talent. We shared the tasks and carried out the project in one week.
On competition day, our robot performed very well and we won second prize. When the judges were giving us the medals, we were laughing like old friends. Since then, I have always said: “Alone we go fast, together we go far.”
– Yasmine, 15, Monastir
Do you understand? أفهم
Answer in your copybook first, then check.
- What was Yasmine’s problem at first?
Answer
She didn’t trust the others and wanted to do everything herself.
- What was she doing at eleven o’clock that evening?
Answer
She was sitting at her desk and reading the instructions.
- What were her teammates doing in the lab?
Answer
Mia was showing her drawing, Walid was writing a program and Skander was cutting the pieces.
- What did she learn?
Answer
That cooperation works better: alone we go fast, together we go far.
🧩 Grammar القواعد
The past progressive (past continuous) describes an action in progress at a moment in the past.
Form: subject + was / were + verb-ing. I was reading. They were working.
We often use it with a past simple action that interrupts it (when), or with another action in progress at the same time (while): While we were working, Mia showed me her drawing.
الماضي المستمر = was / were + الفعل مع ing، ويعبّر عن حدث كان جاريًا في لحظة معيّنة من الماضي.
Was or were?
| Subject | Affirmative | Negative | Question |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / he / she / it | was working | wasn’t working | Was he working? |
| we / you / they | were working | weren’t working | Were they working? |
write » writing (drop e) · sit » sitting, cut » cutting (double the consonant) · study » studying
Yesterday at 11 p.m.
When or while?
| Structure | Example |
|---|---|
| Past progressive + when + past simple (interruption) | I was reading when the phone rang. |
| While + past progressive, past progressive (two actions at the same time) | While Walid was writing, Skander was cutting pieces. |
| Past simple (finished action) | We won second prize. |
💬 Useful expressions عبارات مفيدة
Describing past actions
Talking about cooperation
🔊 Pronunciation النطق
Worked examples أمثلة محلولة
Try first, then read the solution.
“At 5 p.m. yesterday, the volunteers (paint) the walls of the school.”
Step-by-step solution
- Subject: the volunteers = they » were.
- paint + ing = painting.
✓ At 5 p.m. yesterday, the volunteers were painting the walls of the school.
Join: “I was doing my homework.” + “My friend called me.”
Step-by-step solution
- The long action = past progressive.
- The short action that interrupts = past simple, after when.
✓ I was doing my homework when my friend called me.
⚠️ Common mistakes أخطاء شائعة
⭐ Remember أحفظ
- Past progressive = was / were + verb-ing.
- I / he / she / it » was; we / you / they » were.
- It describes an action in progress at a past moment.
- when + past simple = interruption; while + past progressive = two actions at the same time.
- Cooperation = sharing tasks, trusting peers, carrying out work together.
- Compound nouns: stress the first part (CLASSmate); compound adjectives: the second part (well-MANnered).
Quick quiz اختبار سريع
4 questions · instant feedback1. Choose the correct form: We … playing football at 4 p.m.
2. Which sentence is in the past progressive?
3. “To figure out” means…
4. Where is the stress in “homework”?
✍️ Write: Project step 2: a time we worked together أكتب
For your “Helping Hands” project, write a paragraph (80–110 words) about a time when you worked with others to do something useful. Use the past progressive at least three times.
Steps
- Say when and where it happened.
- Describe the scene: what were people doing?
- Say what happened (past simple) and how you shared the tasks.
- Say what you learned about cooperation.
A model text to compare with (after writing mine)
Last spring, our class cleaned the schoolyard for Earth Day. At nine o’clock, everybody was working. Some boys were picking up plastic bottles, while the girls were painting the old benches. I was carrying the bags to the recycling bin with my friend Ali. Suddenly it started to rain! While we were running to the classrooms, our teacher was laughing. After the rain we finished the job together. We shared the tasks, so nobody was tired, and the yard looked beautiful. I learned that cooperation makes hard work easy and fun.
One good example among many: compare, don’t copy.
😊 The lighter side استراحة
Two heads are better than one.
What has many teeth but can’t bite?
Answer
A comb.
Teacher: “Why were you late?” – Pupil: “I was dreaming about a football match and it went to extra time!”
✅ Exercises تمارين
All exercises →6 exercises on three levels, with new questions every time.
- Choose the right answerTo do
- ClassifyTo do
- Situation 1To do
- Situation 2To do
Practise: How to Be Cooperative
True or false, complete, choose, classify and situations: instant correction with explanations.
Got the lesson? Try it yourself
6 exercises · instant correction · new questions every time
Start the exercisesPictures: Twemoji (CC-BY 4.0). Texts, explanations and exercises: Scolaire.tn.