Agrupamento de Escolas da Boa Água - 172388

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Grammar Practice: PAST CONTINUOUS vs SIMPLE PAST
Name: ……………………………………..……………..………….… Class: ……….… Date: ……………… Teacher: Helena Inácio
2017/18

Evaluation: in need of improvement:  borderline:  good:  exceptional:  th

8 Form ▫ Level 4

I Read the grammar guide carefully. Match the rules on the left with the examples on the right.

Yesterday there was robbery near here. I need to ask you some questions. Mr
Miller, what was your family doing yesterday at five o’clock?
It’s used to talk about an action in
progress at a specific time in the past.

We were having fun, when we

saw a man running out of the
park. He scared my cats.
We also use it to talk about an action So rude!
in progress interrupted by another
past action.

My wife was preparing their dinner while

we were running in the park.
We often use this tense to talk about
two simultaneous actions.
I was walking my cats. Really! They
love it!

II Write the –ing form of the verbs. Pay attention to the exceptions!
was/were + verb – ing
Affirmative:
Ex: He was watching TV.
Negative: 1 live …………………………………… 5 fix ……………………………………….
Ex: I wasn’t playing games.
Interrogative:
2 run ……………………………………… 6 sit ……………………………………….
Ex: Were you sleeping when 3 give ……………………………………… 7 travel ………………………………………
I called?
4 swim ……………………………………… 8 open ………………………………………

III Complete with WAS or WERE.

1 Final e is dropped a. She_________ _ studying for the French test yesterday.

come  coming
b. You __________ playing volley last Saturday.
2 final consonant is doubled
after a short, stressed vowel c. I____________eating pizza with my friends.
or consonant + vowel +
d. The students ___________ writing an essay on air pollution.
cons. sit  sitting
e. My parents ___________ watching the new police drama on ITV.
3 words ending in x, w, y do
not double final consonant f. My cats ____________ playing with a new toy.
4 L as final consonant after a g. ___________ the maths test difficult?
vowel is doubled
travel  travelling h. ____________ you impressed with new Star Wars film?

4 final ie becomes y
Lie  lying IV Unscramble the sentences (affirmative, negative and interrogative).

1 doing/we/test/in/weren’t/class. ……………………………………………………………
2 they/sleeping/9pm/were/at? ……………………………………………………………
3 he/bike/was/a/riding ……………………………………………………………
Usually:
When  indicates simple past 4 Lucy/shower/singing/the/was/in. ……………………………………………………………
While  indicates past cont.

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V Complete the sentences. Use the past continuous form of the verbs in brackets.

1 The plane _____________________________(fly) to Paris when it crashed.

2 The students ________________________(wait) for the bus when it started to rain.
3 We ___________________________(cross) the street when the traffic lights turned red.
4 The children ______________________________(play) games when their mother called them.
5 Sue _____________________________(wash) the dishes when the phone rang.
6 My father _______________________________(cook) lunch when I got home.
7 Mary _______________________________(slice) the bread when she cut her hand.
8 My brother __________________________________(jump) on the bed when my mum walked in.

VI Underline the correct option (simple past or past continuous).

1 Jim was breaking / broke his leg while he was riding his bike on a busy street.
2 When he arrived, I was going / went into the kitchen.
3 I was seeing / saw an old friend while I was waiting for the bus.
4 While I had / was having a shower, the phone rang.
5 Anna was meeting / met Judy while she was doing some shopping.
6 While Joe was cooking / cooked lunch, Clare arrived.
7 Someone was stealing / stole Peter’s bag while he was making a phone call.

VII Match the beginnings and endings of the sentences. Use the past simple and past
continuous and the adverb ‘when’.

1 I (have) a relaxing bubble bath a) the doorbell (ring).

2 I (talk) to my neighbour b) the power (go out).
3 We (have) tea when c) the alarm (ring).
4 Kim (watch) TV d) I (notice) I didn’t have any flour.
5 The thief (break) the window e) my mobile phone (ring)
6 I (cook) pizza f) I (see) a dog attacking the postman.
Example: 1) - e) I was having a relaxing bubble bath when my mobile phone rang.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

VIII Complete the text using the past simple or past continuous.

Last weekend we were going (go) to the shopping centre when my phone 1 …………..………… (ring) and I 2
………………………….(answer) it. It 3……….………………(be) my friend Tabitha. She 4 ……………….……….(be)
already at the shopping centre. She 5…………………..………..(say) she 6………………..………….(browse) some
magazines when a man 7…………..……………..(push) her and 8 ……………….………..(steal) her bag. She
9…………………….…….. (cry). I 10……….………………….(promise) we would go to the police together.

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IX Complete the text about the photograph with the simple past or past continuous.
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This is my favourite photo. It’s of me and my best friend at the time. It
was taken when I 1 ……………………….. (finish) university. That’s Mr
Kitty who 2……………………………… (poke) his head out of the box to
see what 3…………………………… (go on). He 4 ………………………..
(be) a very funny cat and he 5 ………………………………. (love) chasing
small insects. He 6 …………………………….. (catch) one every day. On
his left is, well, me. I 7 …………………………… (be) really thin. I don’t
know why because I 8 …………………………………. ( always /eat) a lot
of chocolate! While I 9 ……………………………………… (study) for my exams, Mr Kitty 10 …………………………….
(sit) on my feet and 11 ………………………………… (pur) for hours. I really miss him!

X Complete the sentences about the comic strip with the simple past or past continuous.

It 1 ……………………… (be) lovely day and the bugs

2 ………………………….. (have) fun when they 3
…………………………. (hear) someone coming. It 4
…………………………. (be) that annoying fat cat,
again. The spider 4 …………………………. (decide) to
face him. It 6 …………………… (stand up) to him,
boldly. Garfield 7 …………………………… (not/answer).
The fly 8 …………………….. (escape). While the
spider 9 ………………………………… (wait) for his
response, Garfield 10 ………………………. (take) an
old newspaper and 11 ………………………. (squish)
the spider. The fly 12 ……………………… (return) to
check on the spider but it 13 ………………………….
(not/feel) very fit. Oh dear! What a disaster!

XI Match the sentences with the pictures and then complete them in a logical way.

1 Mr Collins was sorting the mail when…

2 Sean was enjoying a swim in the sea when…

3 Tim was serving dinner when…

4 Tom was working on an important document when…

5 Ken was trying to impress his boss when…

6 Fred was trying to use a hammer when…

7 The painter was working on a wall when…

8 Mr Miller was enjoying his day in the countryside when…

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