Daily English Phrases
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Entries in past progressive (17)

Thursday
Apr212011

“Word crashed while I was working on it, but luckily I was able to retrieve the file.”

Luckily I was able to retrieve the file.

Earlier today, you were writing a resume for applying for a job. While you were writing, the computer program shut down and you were worried that your file would be lost. Now you're telling a friend about what happened. You say:

Word crashed while I was working on it, but luckily I was able to retrieve the file.

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Saturday
Mar192011

“Some creepy guy was hitting on me.”

Some creepy guy

You're at a dance club with your friend. She left to go to the bathroom, and while she was gone a guy started talking to you and asked you out on a date. You didn't like him. Now you're telling your friend about it.

Some creepy guy was hitting on me.

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Wednesday
Jan262011

“She was yelling at us and barking out orders.”

Earlier today, the Vice President of your division at work seemed to be really angry about something. Now you're telling a coworker about it. You say:

She was yelling at us and barking out orders.

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Monday
Jan102011

“Oh my goodness. It was so moving, by the end I was tearing up.”

You're talking with your friend about a book you read. The book was very emotional and dramatic. You say:

Oh my goodness. It was so moving, by the end I was tearing up.

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Friday
Dec172010

“I was wondering if I could exchange them for another pair.”

Exchange them for another pair

Earlier today, you bought a pair of gloves. But you discovered that there was a hole in one of them. You went back to the store, and now you're asking the cashier if you can get a replacement for the gloves you bought. You say:

I was wondering if I could exchange them for another pair.

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Wednesday
Nov242010

“I was going for something abstract and kind of edgy.”

You are an artist, and you're having an art show at a gallery. You're explaining the ideas behind your art to one of the people who came to the show. You say:

I was going for something abstract and kind of edgy.

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Friday
Oct292010

“I saw her walking down the street, playing with her phone.”

You're telling a story about your sister who seems to check e-mail on her mobile phone too much. You've seen her use her phone in many situations, but yesterday you were surprised to see that she was using her phone even while she was walking. You tell your friend:

I saw her walking down the street, playing with her phone.

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Monday
Sep272010

“I interpreted that as a sign that he was letting her go.” 

You're talking with a friend about a novel that you both read. You're discussing something that happened near the end of the book, and your friend explained what he thought it meant. You have a different idea about what it meant. You say:

I interpreted that as a sign that he was letting her go.

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Friday
Sep242010

“She was asking something about her travel arrangements, but I didn't quite get what she wanted.”

You got a confusing e-mail from someone at work. She asked a question, but you didn't understand what she wanted to know. Now you're explaining the situation to your boss. You say:

She was asking something about her travel arrangements, but I didn't quite get what she wanted.

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Friday
Aug062010

“What was I looking for again?”

A coworker comes to your office to ask a question. You were supposed to search for some information for her on your computer, but you got sidetracked. You forgot what you were looking for. You say to yourself:

What was I looking for again?

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