Past

Past simple and past continuous: exercise 1
Affirmative
Choose the correct tense. _______________________________________
As I came | was coming to the station, a car stopped | was stopping behind me. A man
wearing sunglasses got | was getting out of the car and said | was saying: "Mike, what
are you doing here?"
My grandma never watched | was never watching TV. But she read | was reading books.
When I started | was starting work at 6 o'clock this morning, the sun shone | was shining.
My mum got | was getting up and switched | was switching off the light.
When I finished | was finishing my homework, I cooked | was cooking dinner for my sister.
While we listened | were listening to the news, the telephone rang | was ringing. Kate stood
| was standing up and answered | was answering it.
As I drove | was driving to work last Friday, a car crashed | was crashing in front of me.
I stepped | was stepping on the brakes.
As Betty left | was leaving her house on the way to work, she left | was leaving the door open.
When she came | was coming back home in the evening, a dog sat | was sitting in the middle
of the living room.
Yesterday Carrol wrote | was writing emails from 10 to 11 and then from 5 to 7 again.
We arrived in Cannes at 2.30. The sun shone | was shining, people sunbathed | were
sunbathing on the beach and big yachts sailed | were sailing near the harbour. We parked our
car and went | were going to the beach.
Key with answers: www.e-grammar.org/download/past-simple-continuous-exercise-1.pdf
www.e-grammar.org/past-simple-continuous/
Affirmative
Find mistakes and correct them. ________________________________
I was doing my geography homework first and then I had a rest.
I ................................... my geography homework first and then I ................................... a rest.
My mum was often driving our car when we went on holiday.
My mum ................................... our car when we ................................... on holiday.
While her daddy watched TV, Susan put his key in her pocket.
While her daddy ................................... TV, Susan ................................... his key in her
pocket.
I needed to talk to her. And at 10 I was calling her.
I ................................... to talk to her. And at 10 I ................................... her.
I saw you with Jill at the cafe. You talked with her.
I ................................... you with Jill at the cafe. You .................................... with her.
As soon as I was learning English a little bit, I started to travel.
As soon as I ................................... English a little bit, I ................................... to travel.
As they walked along the river, they saw something in the water.
As they ................................... along the river, they ................................... something in

the water.
I was taking her to Dover last weekend. We had a great time.
I ................................... her to Dover. We ................................... a great time.
The weather was perfect when the sun was shining. But it was changing soon.
The weather was perfect when the sun .................................. But it .................................. soon.
When I met Samantha, she wore a straw hat.
When I ................................... Samantha, she ................................... a straw hat.
Negative
Make negative sentences. _______________________________________
A: Susan lost her purse while she was shopping.
B: She ..................................... her purse while she was shopping. She left it in her office.
A: Ben was riding slowly when he ran the cat over.
B: He ..................................... slowly. He was hurrying to a football match.
A: I'm afraid we were making a lot of noise at midnight.
B: It was OK. You ..................................... so much noise.
A: Dan and Marion came quite early.
B: They ..................................... early. They were fifteen minutes late.
A: You were sitting at the table by the window.
B: We ..................................... by the window. We preferred the table near the door.
A: Kamala was scared. That's why she ran away.
B: She ..................................... away. She stayed there.
A: The sun set at 6.45 yesterday.
B: The sun ..................................... at 6.45. It rose at that time.
A: It was getting dark at 7 o'clock.
B: It ..................................... dark at 7 o'clock. It was still daylight.
A: My sister talked to Tim the other day.
B: Your sister ..................................... to Tim. She talked to Greg.
A: My grandparents were listening to the radio from 5 to 6.
B: They ..................................... to the radio. They were watching TV.
Questions
Make questions. ________________________________________________
When I met him, he was talking on the telephone.
Who ............................................................... to? (he | talk)
The company wanted to finish this house last week.
And when ............................................................... it? (they | start)
I saw your wife last night. She was driving a car.
What car ...............................................................? (she | drive)
I tried to get in touch with you last weekend.
Why ............................................................... to get in touch with me? (you | want)
My sister was not listening when I wanted to tell her.
What ............................................................... ? (your sister | do)
When I came to his bedroom, he was snoring.
How ............................................................... ? On his back? (he | lie)
At 10 o'clock I was watching a documentary film.
Which channel ............................................................... ? (you | watch)
I had an accident on Monday.
What ............................................................... ? (happen | you)
Story, part 1
Complete the story. _____________________________________________
Every day James Lullaby travels to London. Yesterday he ................................ (drive) his car,
when he .................... (see) a dog in the middle of the road. The dog ............................ (watch)
the car. James ................................. (stop) and .................................. (get) out of his car. As he
............................ (get) out, the dog ........................... (run) away. James ........................... (go)
back to his car. While he ................................. (get) in it, the dog ................................ (appear)
again and ............................. (sit) down in the middle of the road. James ........................ (start)
the engine, but the dog ............................. (not move). James ................................... (jump) out
of the car and ................................ (shout) at the dog. The dog ............................. (bark) at him
and ............................ (begin) to run. James ................................... (follow) the dog. Suddenly,
he .......................... (see) two girls lying on the grass. They ............................... (bleed).
Story, part 2 (negative)
Exercise 6. Make negative sentences. ____________________________
James was riding a motorbike.
He ..................................................... a motorbike. He was driving a car.
James heard a dog on the road.
He ................................................... a dog on the rode. He saw it.
James ran over the dog.
He ........................................ over the dog. He stopped his car.
The dog was barking at James all the time.
The dog ...................................................... at James all the time. It barked at him only once.
James talked to the dog.
He ......................................... to the dog. He shouted at him.
James threw a stone at the dog.
He ............................................. a stone at the dog. He followed it.
The dog bit James.
The dog ......................................... James. It took him to the girls.
The girls were sitting on the grass.
They .................................................... on the grass. They were lying on it.
The girls were sleeping.
They ............................................... . They were bleeding.
Story, part 3 (questions)
Make the policeman's questions. ________________________________
Policeman: What ..................................................... yesterday at 8 o'clock? (do)

James: I was driving to work.
Policeman: What time ........................................................ the dog? (meet)

James: I saw him at about 8.30.
Policeman: .......................................................... fast when you saw the dog? (drive)

James: No, I wasn't.
Policeman: What .................................................. when you stopped your car? (the dog/do)
James: He was sitting in the middle of the road.
Policeman: What ................................................... after that? (the dog/do)

James: He ran away.
Policeman: How ..................................................... the two girls? (find)

James: I followed the dog, when he came back.
Policeman: ................................................................... when you found them? (the girls/bleed)

James: Yes, they were. They were lying on the grass.
Policeman: .................................................. anyone else? (see)

James: No, I didn't.
Policeman: .................................................. an ambulance? (call)

James: No, I didn't. I drove the girls to the hospital.

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Past simple and past continuous: exercise 1

are you doing here?"

| was standing up and answered | was answering it.

I stepped | was stepping on the brakes.

of the living room.

car and went | were going to the beach.

Key with answers: www.e-grammar.org/download/past-simple-continuous-exercise-1.pdf

I was doing my geography homework first and then I had a rest.

I ................................... my geography homework first and then I ................................... a rest.

My mum was often driving our car when we went on holiday.

My mum ................................... our car when we ................................... on holiday.

I needed to talk to her. And at 10 I was calling her.

I ................................... to talk to her. And at 10 I ................................... her.

As soon as I was learning English a little bit, I started to travel.

As soon as I ................................... English a little bit, I ................................... to travel.

As they ................................... along the river, they ................................... something in

I was taking her to Dover last weekend. We had a great time.

I ................................... her to Dover. We ................................... a great time.

When I met Samantha, she wore a straw hat.

When I ................................... Samantha, she ................................... a straw hat.

Key with answers: www.e-grammar.org/download/past-simple-continuous-exercise-2.pdf

A: Susan lost her purse while she was shopping.

A: Ben was riding slowly when he ran the cat over.

B: He ..................................... slowly. He was hurrying to a football match.

A: I'm afraid we were making a lot of noise at midnight.

B: It was OK. You ..................................... so much noise.

A: Dan and Marion came quite early.

B: They ..................................... early. They were fifteen minutes late.

A: You were sitting at the table by the window.

B: We ..................................... by the window. We preferred the table near the door.

A: Kamala was scared. That's why she ran away.

B: She ..................................... away. She stayed there.

A: The sun set at 6.45 yesterday.

B: The sun ..................................... at 6.45. It rose at that time.

A: It was getting dark at 7 o'clock.

B: It ..................................... dark at 7 o'clock. It was still daylight.

A: My sister talked to Tim the other day.

B: Your sister ..................................... to Tim. She talked to Greg.

A: My grandparents were listening to the radio from 5 to 6.

B: They ..................................... to the radio. They were watching TV.

Key with answers: www.e-grammar.org/download/past-simple-continuous-exercise-3.pdf

When I met him, he was talking on the telephone.

Who ............................................................... to? (he | talk)

The company wanted to finish this house last week.

And when ............................................................... it? (they | start)

I saw your wife last night. She was driving a car.

What car ...............................................................? (she | drive)

I tried to get in touch with you last weekend.

Why ............................................................... to get in touch with me? (you | want)

My sister was not listening when I wanted to tell her.

What ............................................................... ? (your sister | do)

When I came to his bedroom, he was snoring.

How ............................................................... ? On his back? (he | lie)

At 10 o'clock I was watching a documentary film.

Which channel ............................................................... ? (you | watch)

I had an accident on Monday.

What ............................................................... ? (happen | you)