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Past Simple and Past Continuous

The document provides examples to practice using the past simple and past continuous verb tenses in English. It contains multiple choice questions, fill-in-the-blank exercises, and short conversations where the reader must select the appropriate past tense of verbs to complete the sentences based on whether the action occurred in the past simple or past continuous. The exercises cover a variety of common verbs and scenarios to help distinguish when to use each past tense form.

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Anna84_84
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430 views5 pages

Past Simple and Past Continuous

The document provides examples to practice using the past simple and past continuous verb tenses in English. It contains multiple choice questions, fill-in-the-blank exercises, and short conversations where the reader must select the appropriate past tense of verbs to complete the sentences based on whether the action occurred in the past simple or past continuous. The exercises cover a variety of common verbs and scenarios to help distinguish when to use each past tense form.

Uploaded by

Anna84_84
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Activity1

Choose which verb tense (simple past or past continuous) fits


better.

1. I ________ - I didn't hear you come in.


a) was sleeping b) slept

2. I ________ to see her twice, but she wasn't home.


a) was coming b) came

3. What ________? I was watching TV.


a) did you do b) were you doing

4. Robin Hood was a character who ________ from the rich and gave
to the poor.
a) stole b) was stealing

5. Hey, did you talk to her? Yes, I ________ to her


a) was talking b) talked

6. I ________ home very late last night.


a) came b) was coming

7. How long ________ the flu?


a) did you have b) were you having

8. ________ a good time in Brazil? Yes, I had a blast!


a) Were you having b) Did you have

9. We ________ breakfast when she walked into the room.


a) had b) were having

10. Last month I decided to buy a new car, and today I finally
________ it.
a) bought b) was buying

Activity3

Complete the following sentences with the correct form (Past Simple or Past
Continuous).

1. A: What (you, do) ___________________ when you heard that noise?


B: I (try) ___________________ to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

2. After I (find) ___________________ the wallet full of money, I (go,


immediately)___________________ to the police and (turn)
___________________ it in.

3. The doctor (say) ___________________ that Brian (be) _________________ too


weak to go to work and that he (need) ___________________ to stay at home
for a couple of days.

4. My best friend (arrive) ___________________ at my house a little before 9:00


pm, but I (be, not) ___________________ there. I (study) ___________________
at the library for my final examination in Italian.

5. John is in the living room working on his computer. At this time yesterday,
he (work, also) ___________________ on his computer. That's all he ever does!

6. I (call) ___________________ you last night after dinner, but you (be,
not)___________________ there. Where were you?
B: I (work) ___________________ out at the gym.

7. When I (walk) ___________________ into the busy office, the secretaries


(talk)___________________ on the phone with customers, a clerk (work,
busily)___________________ at his desk, and two managers (discuss, quietly)
___________________ methods to improve customer service.

8. I (watch) ___________________ a thriller on T.V. when the electricity went


out. Now I am never going to find out how the film ends.

9. Samantha (be) ___________________ in the room when Bob (tell)


___________________ me what happened, but she didn't hear anything
because she (be, listen) ___________________ to music.

10. It's strange that you (call) ___________________ because I (think, just)
___________________ about you.

Activity4

Find the Past Simple of the following verbs:

Work ____________________ come __________________


Walk ____________________ speak __________________
Talk _____________________ see ____________________
Clean ___________________ do _____________________
Live _____________________ go _____________________
Wash ___________________ sing ____________________

Complete what Jenny says using the following verbs in the Past
Continuous:

Jenny is telling her teacher why she couldn't study for an exam.

watch listen sing clean cook play lie

It was impossible for me to concentrate! I went to my bedroom and my


mother _________________________ the carpet with the vacuum cleaner.
Then I went to the living room but my brother Paul _______________________
on the sofa. He ____________ his guitar. After that I decided to go to the
kitchen.
There, my grandmother _________________________ and she ___________ also
____________________ TV. Finally, I went out to the garden where I found my
sister. She __________________ to her Walkman and she ___________________
at the top of her voice.
Activity5

Write the correct form of the verb, using the Past Simple or the
Past Continuous tense.

A: I __________________________ (see) Peter and John in the park on Sunday.


B: _________________________________ (they/play) football?
They always play football on Sundays.
A: No, they ______________________ (not/be).
They _______________________ (talk) with some girls.
B: ____________________________ (you/say) hello to them?
A. Although I _______________________ (call) their names, they
_______________ (not/hear) me.
B: Maybe they _______________________ (not/notice) you ________________
(be) there

Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Continuous or the Past
Simple.

1) Frank _______________ (finish) his lunch and ____________ (ring) his friend
Jason.

2) Jason ____________ (watch) TV when Fran______________ (phone) him.

3) He ____________ (turn off) the TV when he ____________ (hear) the phone


ringing.

4) They _________________________ (decide) what to do when Jason


_____________________ (suggest) going to the club.

5) Frank _______________ Jason ____________ (pick up) and _________________


(drive) to the club.

6) Two other people _______________________(use) their tennis court when


they _________________________ (arrive).

7) They ______________________ (drink) a soda and ____________________


(eat) a sandwich while they _____________________(wait) to play.

8) While they __________________________ (play), it ________ (start) to rain so


they ______________________ (have) to stop playing.
Activity6

Put the verbs into the correct form (past progressive).

1. When I phoned my friends, they (play) ___________________


Monopoly.

2. Yesterday at six I (prepare) ___________________________ dinner.

3. The kids (play) ____________________ in the garden when it suddenly


began to rain.

4. I (practice) ___________________- the guitar when he came home.

5. We (not / cycle) ____________ all day.

6. While Aaron (work) __________ in his room, his friends


(swim)______________ in the pool.

7. I tried to tell them the truth but they (listen / not) _______________.

8. What (you / do) _______________ yesterday?

9. Most of the time we (sit) ________________ in the park.

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