1. Complete the sentences with the past continuous form of the verbs in brackets.

1 I (make) my dinner at 8 o’clock last night.

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2 Joe and Sam (use) the wrong program in IT yesterday.
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3 Who was that guy you (dance) with at the party?
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4 Paula (come) home from school when she saw an accident.
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5 In 1999 my father (live) in Dublin. That’s where he met my mother.
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6 He (open) the box when he cut his finger.

7 This time last week, we (visit) my grandmother.

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8 I (sit) at the back of the classroom so I couldn’t see the screen.
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9 Andrew (insert) a photo into his document when the teacher stopped the class.
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10 I (start) to do my homework when my friend sent me a message.
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2. Choose the correct options.

1 I listened / was listening to the radio when I heard / was hearing this fantastic song.
2 When the teacher said / was saying ‘Stop!’, I still tried / was still trying to finish the last question.
3 I feel really silly! While I danced / was dancing, I fell / was falling and broke / was breaking my elbow.
4 Tim played / was playing a computer game when his mum called / was calling him for lunch.
5 I looked / was looking for a file on my memory stick when I noticed / was noticing there was a virus.
6 Ron found / was finding a really interesting website about dance music while he surfed / was surfing the
internet.
7 My mum had / was having breakfast near the computer when she spilled / was spilling her cup of coffee
on the keyboard.
8 When you saw / were seeing me yesterday, I didn’t go / wasn’t going to school, I went / was going to the
doctor’s – I felt terrible.
9 How many pictures did you take / were you taking while you travelled / were travelling around Ireland?
10 Why did you chat / were you chatting to Philip while I tried / was trying to tell you something really
important?

3.Complete the sentences with the past simple or the past continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
1 I (switch off ) the computer because it (make) a strange noise.
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2 My dad (listen) to classical music when I (arrive) home from school.
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3 We (play) video games when my mum ,(say) ‘Turn the volume down!’
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4 My cousin (meet) his wife, Bianca, while he (live) in Italy.
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5 My little sister (draw) a picture while I (study) for my French exam.
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6 While they (try) to fix the computer, all the lights (go out).
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7 When we (leave) school yesterday, it (pour) with rain.
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8 When you (see) Paul, he (wear) a black jacket?
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9 I (try) to log on when the WiFi (stop) working.
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10 While Dad (print) an article, the printer (run out) of paper.
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4. Complete the story with the correct past tense form of the verbs in brackets.
Sometimes I hate computers! Once, when I _________________________ (try) to do my English
homework on my laptop, the battery _________________________ (run out). I
_________________________ (lie) on my bed and I was listening to music on Spotify. It helps me to
concentrate. I _________________________ also (chat) to my friend Daniel on Facebook. OK, so I
_________________________ (not concentrate) very hard on my homework and I
_________________________ (forget) to plug in my laptop!I didn’t notice that the battery was getting low.
I was just finishing the essay when the screen _________________________ (go) black. I
_________________________ (lose) everything. I _________________________ (scream) in frustration.
My dad 10 (come) running into my bedroom. I 11 almost (cry) so he_________________________ (give)
me his laptop. I _________________________ (try) to remember everything in my essay – it
_________________________ (be) quite difficult especially because Daniel was sending me lots of funny
videos. Anyway, while I was watching one, the WiFi stopped working. In the end it was probably better
because I _________________________ (manage) to finish the essay.
Fill in the correct form of the past tense.
1. I ________________ my old friend in town the other day. He ________________ to ignore me
and ________________ somewhere else. (SEE, SEEM, LOOK)
2. The teacher ________________ a photo of us while we ________________ up the tree. (TAKE, CLIMB)
3. We ________________ Martha at the airport last week. She ________________ for the arrival of
her sister while we ________________ to New York. (MEET, WAIT, TRAVEL)
4. "What ________________ to him? – He ________________ totally surprised when I________________
him. " – (YOU SAY, LOOK, SEE)
5. He ________________ exam papers when I ________________ him. (CORRECT, VISIT)
6. A man ________________ on the road while I ________________ my bike. Luckily,
I________________ not to crash into him. (FALL, RIDE, MANAGE)
7. We ________________ a few miles off the coast when a horrible thunderstorm________________ up.
We ________________ to get to safety as soon as possible. (SAIL, COME, HAVE)
8. I haven't seen him for ages. When I last ________________ him, he ________________ for a
new job. (SEE, LOOK)
9. While the two teams ________________ up everyone ________________ a flag. It ________________ a
very emotional moment. (WARM, WAVE, BE)
10. "What ___________________ when I ________________ to your place yesterday evening?" – "I
________________ the baby". (YOU DO, COME, FEED)
11.I ________________ down a dark alley when suddenly I ________________ footsteps. I
________________ around and ________________ that an old woman with a dog ________________ me.
(WALK, HEAR, TURN, SEE, FOLLOW)
12. "Why ___________________ out last night?" – "I ________________ too tired and ______________
to stay at home." (YOU NOT GO, BE, DECIDE)
13.The policeman asked me, " How fast ________________ when you ________________ the old
lady in front of you?" (YOU DRIVE, SEE)
14.Mom ________________ dinner when we ________________ home from football practice.
(PREPARE, GET)
15.When I ________________ young, I always ________________ to be a pilot. (BE, WANT)
16. Las Sunday afternoon I ________________ for a walk in the park and ________________ a cup
of coffee at a local restaurant. (GO, HAVE)
17.When they ________________ to the airport the plane ________________ off. (GET, JUST TAKE)
18.I ________________ on a bench in the park when a man ________________ up to me and
________________ to know what time it ________________. (SIT, COME, WANT, BE)