Past Simple Tense

1. James hurt himself while he was ______________

a) running
b) runs
c) ran
d) run

2. I met my aunt while I ______________ home from work.

a) was walked
b) walks
c) was walking
d) walked

3. Lisa saw a friend while she was ______________ her bicycle along road.
a) riding
b) rode
c) ride
d) rides

4. Johana fell asleep while she was ______________

a) watched TV
b) watching TV
c) watches TV
d) watch TV

5. Bob stepped on Jane’s feet while they ______________ together.

a) was dancing
b) were dancing
c) danced
d) dances

6. I cut myself while I ______________.

a) was shaving
b) shaved
c) were shaving
d) have shaved

7. Mr. and Mrs. Brown burned themselves while they ______________ cookies.
a) baked
b) baking
c) were baking
d) have baking
8. Tommy had a nightmare while he …………………………….. (at a friend’s house.
a) were sleeping
b) slept
c) was sleeping
d) have slept

9. We saw John in the town a few days ago while he ____________ in the market.
a) was shopping
b) shop
c) were shopping
d) is shopping

10. James _______________________ when guest came.

a) were sleeping
b) was sleeping
c) slept
d) is sleeping

11. Kate was ______________________ to school when the tire of car burst.
a) came
b) coming
c) comes
d) come

12. Students were _____________ yesterday when earthquake shook the building.
a) studying
b) studies
c) studied
d) study

13. William was _____________ a movie when his friend called him.
a) watched
b) watching
c) watch
d) watches

14. Did the storm wake you up? It was _________________ raining all night yesterday.
a) raining
b) rained
c) rains
d) rain
15. They ________________ to God when they get in to trouble.
a) was praying
b) prayed
c) were praying
d) have prayed

16. Henry ___________ going to school when he slipped and fell on the footpath.
a) is
b) were
c) was
d) has

17. She ________________ television last night when grandparents came to meet her.
a) were not watching
b) was not watch
c) was watching
d) is watching

18. He ____________________ when light went out.

a) was reading
b) read
c) is reading
d) reads

19. Jack __________ the office when police arrested him.

a) left
b) was leaving
c) leave
d) leaved

20. Susie __________ pasta before she slept last night.

a) was eating
b) had been eating
c) eating
d) eaten

21. Ram was _____________ the vegetables when he injured his fingers.
a) chop
b) chopping
c) chopped
d) chops
22. Yesterday when I visited Nick, he was ___________ dinner for his family on last
New Year eve.
a) cooks
b) cooking
c) cook
d) cooked

23. He was ____________ his hair when phone suddenly ring.

a) brushes
b) brushed
c) brushing
d) brush

24. David ____________ books while his friends gossiped in the library.
a) read
b) reads
c) was reading
d) is reading

25. Kitty and Karla ____________ the dishes when fire broke up in the hotel.
a) were washing
b) was washing
c) did not wash
d) had washed

26. He was __________ on footpath when car hit him.

a) walk
b) walking
c) walked
d) walks

27. My dog __________ behind the ball while I sat calmly on the bench.
a) was running
b) ran
c) run
d) have ran

28. My baby was ___________ before I soothed her.

a) cried
b) crying
c) cry
d) cries
29. Olivia and Marry ___________ to finish their task before the class started.
a) were trying
b) was trying
c) trying
d) tried

30. We were _____________ down when we saw Charlotte

a) walks
b) walked
c) walking
d) walk

31. I was _________ TV when I heard a loud noise.

a) watched
b) watching
c) watches
d) watch

32. They ___________ when bell rang.

a) was swimming
b) swim
c) were swimming
d) had swim

33. While they __________ walking home, it began to rain heavily.

a) were
b) was
c) none of the above
d) had

34. My parents called me last night, while I was ________ golf at the country club.
a) played
b) play
c) playing
d) plays

35. My brother and sister ________ at 11:00 p.m. yesterday.

a) was playing
b) will be playing
c) were playing
d) had played
36. _________ you still working at midnight yesterday?
a) did
b) had
c) were
d) have

37. __________ you go to doctor yesterday when I met you at park street?
a) did
b) do
c) were
d) have

38. Was not he _____________________his homework?

a) doing
b) do
c) was doing
d) did

39. I __________ a detective story when I head strange noises coming from outside.
a) were reading
b) read
c) was reading
d) had read

40. At 9:00 O clock yesterday, I _____________________.

a) was driving to school
b) had driven to school
c) drove to school
d) were driving to school
 Answer Key

1 a 21 b
2 c 22 b
3 a 23 c
4 b 24 c
5 b 25 a
6 a 26 c
7 c 27 a
8 c 28 b
9 a 29 a
10 b 30 c
11 b 31 b
12 b 32 c
13 b 33 a
14 a 34 c
15 c 35 c
16 c 36 c
17 c 37 c
18 a 38 a
19 b 39 c
20 a 40 a