Past Simple or Past Continuous?
When I _______ the exercise I _____at the pictures.
1. was starting 2. were starting 3. started
4. was looking 5. were looking 6. looked
While I ________ the exercise I______ at my worksheet.
1. was doing 2. were doing 3. did
4. was looking 5. were looking 6. looked
While I _____the exercise I ______ my brain a lot.
1. was doing 2. were doing 3. did
1. was using 2. were using 3. used
In the exercise there ___ a picture of three doctors who __ .
1. was being 2. were being 3. was
4. was singing 5. were singing 6. sang
And a picture of Bill Gates who _______________ a plane.
1. was flying were flying 2. flew
Past simple, past continuous exercise 1
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 read.
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.
Past simple, past continuous exercise 2
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.
[Link] a while, the sun (come) ____________ out again.
11. I (thank) ____________ the farmer for his hospitality and (move)
____________ on.
Answers
3-6
1-4
1-1
3-6
1
ANSWERS
Past simple, past continuous exercise 1
1. was doing, I broke
2. was playing, was doing
3. He drank, he ate
4. I was having, I suddenly heard
5. was working, passed
[Link] went, took, began
7. started, wanted
8. was doing, she visited
9. I was, I saw
10. I did not understand, were talking
Past simple, past continuous exercise 2
1. got up, was shining
2. It was
3. I decided
4. I went took out
5. I was cycling, I saw
6. was mowing, was picking
7. appeared, it started
8. noticed, told
9. was raining was sitting
10. came out
11. thanked, moved on.