Nicht vergessen: Regeln sind Leitlinien – sie sind nur selten absolut.
Past Progressive — Negative with Time Words
We use the past progressive negative for actions that weren't happening at a specific time in the past.
Form: wasn't / weren't + verb + ing
Time words make the answer obvious: at 8 p.m., at that moment, during the meeting, at noon, at midnight.
Example: I wasn't watching TV at 8 p.m.
[Ich sah um 20 Uhr gerade nicht fern.]
1. I ______ TV at exactly 8 p.m. yesterday.
wasn't watching
a) wasn't watching
b) didn't watched
[Ich sah gestern genau um 20 Uhr gerade nicht fern.]
2. They ______ dinner at exactly 7 o’clock.
weren't eating
a) didn't eating
b) weren't eating
[Sie aßen genau um 7 Uhr gerade nicht zu Abend.]
3. She ______ at 9 a.m. this morning.
wasn't working
a) wasn't working
b) didn't working
[Sie arbeitete heute um 9 Uhr gerade nicht.]
4. We ______ outside at noon.
weren't sitting
a) didn't sitting
b) weren't sitting
[Wir saßen um Mittag gerade nicht draußen.]
5. He ______ the computer at that moment.
wasn't using
a) wasn't using
b) didn't using
[Er benutzte in diesem Moment gerade nicht den Computer.]
6. I ______ to music at midnight.
wasn't listening
a) didn't listening
b) wasn't listening
[Ich hörte um Mitternacht gerade keine Musik.]
7. They ______ loudly during the meeting.
weren't talking
a) weren't talking
b) didn't talking
[Sie sprachen während des Meetings gerade nicht laut.]
8. She ______ the door at exactly 6 p.m.
wasn't opening
a) didn't opening
b) wasn't opening
[Sie öffnete genau um 18 Uhr gerade nicht die Tür.]
9. We ______ English at that time.
weren't learning
a) weren't learning
b) didn't learning
[Wir lernten zu dieser Zeit gerade kein Englisch.]
10. He ______ coffee at 10 a.m. yesterday morning.
wasn't drinking
a) didn't drinking
b) wasn't drinking
[Er trank gestern Morgen um 10 Uhr gerade keinen Kaffee.]
11. They ______ for the bus at 5 p.m.
weren't waiting
a) weren't waiting
b) didn't waiting
[Sie warteten um 17 Uhr gerade nicht auf den Bus.]
12. She ______ an email at 9 p.m. last night.
wasn't writing
a) didn't writing
b) wasn't writing
[Sie schrieb gestern Abend um 21 Uhr gerade keine E-Mail.]
13. I ______ home at that moment.
wasn't walking
a) wasn't walking
b) didn't walking
[Ich ging in diesem Moment gerade nicht nach Hause.]
14. They ______ a film at 10 p.m.
weren't watching
a) didn't watching
b) weren't watching
[Sie schauten um 22 Uhr gerade keinen Film.]
15. He ______ dinner at that time.
wasn't cooking
a) wasn't cooking
b) didn't cooking
[Er kochte zu dieser Zeit gerade kein Abendessen.]
16. We ______ together at 4 p.m. yesterday afternoon.
weren't working
a) didn't working
b) weren't working
[Wir arbeiteten gestern Nachmittag um 16 Uhr gerade nicht zusammen.]
17. She ______ upstairs at exactly 3 p.m.
wasn't going
a) wasn't going
b) didn't going
[Sie ging genau um 15 Uhr gerade nicht nach oben.]
18. I ______ a message during the meeting.
wasn't sending
a) didn't sending
b) wasn't sending
[Ich schickte während des Meetings gerade keine Nachricht.]
19. They ______ outside at that moment.
weren't standing
a) weren't standing
b) didn't standing
[Sie standen in diesem Moment gerade nicht draußen.]
20. He ______ the window at exactly 6 a.m.
wasn't closing
a) didn't closing
b) wasn't closing
[Er schloss genau um 6 Uhr morgens gerade nicht das Fenster.]
21. We ______ in the park at 7 p.m. yesterday evening.
weren't walking
a) weren't walking
b) didn't walking
[Wir gingen gestern Abend um 19 Uhr gerade nicht im Park spazieren.]
22. She ______ tea at that time.
wasn't drinking
a) didn't drinking
b) wasn't drinking
[Sie trank zu dieser Zeit gerade keinen Tee.]
23. I ______ the doorbell at exactly 2 p.m.
wasn't hearing
a) wasn't hearing
b) didn't hearing
[Ich hörte genau um 14 Uhr gerade nicht die Türklingel.]
24. They ______ football at 5 p.m. yesterday afternoon.
weren't playing
a) didn't playing
b) weren't playing
[Sie spielten gestern Nachmittag um 17 Uhr gerade keinen Fußball.]
25. He ______ his phone at midnight.
wasn't checking
a) wasn't checking
b) didn't checking
[Er überprüfte um Mitternacht gerade nicht sein Handy.]