Choose Past Simple or Past Continuous 1

Make the past simple or past continuous

1) What (do) when I (call) you last night?
2) I (sit) in a cafe when you (call).
3) When you (arrive) at the party, who (be) there?
4) Susie (watch) a film when she (hear) the noise.
5) Yesterday I (go) to the library, next I (have) a swim, later I (meet) Julie for coffee.
6) We (play) tennis when John (hurt) his ankle.
7) What (they/do) at 10pm last night - it was really noisy?
8) He (take) a shower when the telephone (ring).
9) He (be) in the shower when the telephone (ring).
10) When I (walk) into the room, everyone (work).
11) It (be) a day last September. The sun (shine) and the birds (sing) . I (walk) along the street when
I (meet) an old friend.
12) He (live) in Russia when the Revolution (start).
13) When her train (get) to the station, we (wait) on the platform.
14) He (be) so annoying! He (always leave) his things everywhere.
15) On holiday we (visit) Rome, (see) the Vatican, and (spend) a few days at the beach.
16) Why (stand) on a chair when I (come) into the room?
17) They (lived) in Germany when they (be) young.
18) At 7pm yesterday, we (listen) to music.
19) When I (leave) the house, it (snow).
20) He (work) in a bank when he (meet) his wife.
.
Complete the sentences. Put the verbs in brackets into the past simple or the past continuous.
Type the sentences into the box.
1. While I (drive), I (have) an accident.
2. Kate (have) dinner and then she (do) her homework.
3. The thieves (hide) in the kitchen when the police (come) in.
4. Sam (plan) a party and then he (phone) his friends.
5. While we (clean) the house, we (break) some glasses.
6. Alan (look) out of the window when he (see) a UFO.

Put in the verbs in brackets in Simple Past or Past Progressive into the gaps.

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Simple Past – Past Progressive – contrasted
1. While I , the school bus . (to text) (to arrive)
2. Cindy her leg while she . (to break) (to snowboard)
3. He to the radio while he breakfasts. (to listen) (to prepare)
4. My father at 70 km/h when a policeman him. (to drive) (to stop)
5. The girl that the boy her. (to notice) (to watch)
6. My dad the ladder while he the carport. (to fall off) (to paint)
7. While we , we crossword puzzles. (to wait) (to do)
 8. Nick sick while he in Texas. (to become) (to travel)
9. What when you about 9/11? (to do) (to hear)
10. She said that she happy, so I to her. (not/to feel) (to talk)
Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. While Tom (read), Amely (watch) a documentary on TV.
2. Marvin (come) home, (switch) on the computer and (check) his emails.
3. The thief (sneak) into the house, (steal) the jewels and (leave) without a trace.
4. Nobody (listen) while the teacher (explain) the tenses.
5. While we (do) a sight-seeing tour, our friends (lie) on the beach.
6. He (wake) up and (look) at his watch.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
7. The receptionist (welcome) the guests and (ask) them to fill in the form.
8. The car (break) down and we (have) to walk home.
9. The boys (swim) while the girls (sunbathe) .
10. My father (come) in, (look)  around and (tell)  me to tidy up my room.
11. As long as one group (prepare)  dinner, the others (collect)  wood for their campfire.
12. While the parents (have)  breakfast, their children (run)  about.
13. Martha (turn)  off the lights and (go)  to bed.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. Two days ago, a murder (happen)  in Market Street at about seven pm.
2. Yesterday, Sherlock Holmes (arrive)  at the crime scene to investigate.
3. He (ask)  one of the tenants in the house.
4. »What (do / you)  yesterday at seven?«
5. »I (watch) a football match on TV.«
6. » (be)  you alone?«
7. »Yes, I (be) .«
8. » (hear / you)  anything suspicious?«
9. »Yes, about seven o'clock, two people (argue)  in the hallway. But the football match (be)  so
interesting. So I just(turn)  up the telly and then (hear / not)  anything anymore.«

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
A: »What (do / you)  yesterday at 8 pm?«
B: »I (sit)  in the pub with Sam. Why?«
A: »I (drive)  to the sports centre at that time to play squash with a few friends. As we (be)  only
three players, I(try)  to ring you to ask if you would like to come as well. But I (reach /
not)  you at home.«
B: »Why (ring / not / you)  my mobile?«
A: »I actually (want)  to ring your mobile, but by accident I (dial)  William's number. He (do /
not) anything special at that moment and really (like)  the idea of playing squash with us.«
Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or past progressive).
1. When I (do)  the washing-up, I (break)  a plate.
2. While Tom (play)  the piano, his mother (do)  the washing-up.
3. He (drink)  some juice and then he (eat)  a few chips.
4. I (have)  dinner when I suddenly (hear)  a loud bang.
5. When my father (work)  in the garden, an old friend (pass)  by to see him.
6. She (go)  to school, (take)  out her textbook and (begin)  to learn.
7. When it (start)  to rain, our dog (want)  to come inside.
8. When Jane (do)  a language course in Ireland, she (visit)  Blarney Castle.
9. When I (be)  on my way home, I (see)  an accident.
10. I (not / understand)  what they (talk)  about.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. When I (get)  up yesterday, the sun (shine) .
2. It (is)  a beautiful morning.
3. So I (decide)  to cycle around a little.
4. I (go)  to the shed and (take)  out my bike.
5. While I (cycle)  past some villages, I (see)  some people in their gardens.
6. One man (mow)  the grass while his wife (pick)  strawberries.
7. After one hour of cycling in sunshine, a big fat raincloud suddenly (appear)  and it (start)  to
rain.
8. Luckily, a farmer (notice)  me and (tell)  me to come in.
9. While it (rain)  outside, I (sit)  in the farmer's house.
10. After a while, the sun (come)  out again.
11. I (thank)  the farmer for his hospitality and (move)  on.

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. A: What (you, do)  when the accident occurred? 
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 Tom (be)  too sick to go to work and that he (need)  to stay at home for a
couple of days. 
4. Sebastian (arrive)  at Susan's house a little before 9:00 PM, but she (be, not)  there. She (study, at
the library)  for her final examination in French. 
5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she (watch,
also)  television. That's all she ever does! 
6. A: I (call)  you last night after dinner, but you (be, not)  there. Where were you? 
B: I (work)  out at the fitness center.
7. When I (walk)  into the busy office, the secretary (talk)  on the phone with a customer, several
clerks (work, busily)  at their desks, and two managers (discuss, quietly)  methods to improve
customer service. 
8. I (watch)  a mystery movie on TV when the electricity went out. Now I am never going to find out
how the movie ends. 
9. Sharon (be)  in the room when John told me what happened, but she didn't hear anything because
she (listen, not) . 
10. It's strange that you (call)  because I (think, just)  about you. 
11. The Titanic (cross)  the Atlantic when it (strike)  an iceberg. 
12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain, busily)  and (try)  to sell their goods to
naive tourists who (hunt)  for souvenirs. Some young boys (lead)  their donkeys through the narrow
streets on their way home. A couple of men (argue)  over the price of a leather belt. I (walk)  over
to a man who (sell)  fruit and (buy)  a banana. 
13. The firemen (rescue)  the old woman who (be)  trapped on the third floor of the burning building. 
14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always)  her dirty dishes in the sink. I think she (expect,
actually) me to do them for her. 
15. Samantha (live)  in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live)  there when the Berlin Wall
came down.

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses, then click
the “Check” button to check your answers.

Last night, while I was doing my homework, Angela (call) . She said she (call) me on her cell phone
from her biology classroom at UCLA. I asked her if she (wait) for class, but she said that the professor
was at the front of the hall lecturing while she (talk) to me. I couldn't believe she (make) a phone call
during the lecture. I asked what was going on.

She said her biology professor was so boring that several of the students (sleep, actually) in class.
Some of the students (talk) about their plans for the weekend and the student next to her (draw) a
picture of a horse. When Angela (tell) me she was not satisfied with the class, I (mention) that my
biology professor was quite good and (suggest) that she switch to my class.

While we were talking, I (hear) her professor yell, "Miss, are you making a phone call?" Suddenly, the
line went dead. I (hang) up the phone and went to the kitchen to make dinner. As I (cut) vegetables for
a salad, the phone rang once again. It (be) Angela, but this time she wasn't sitting in class.