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Past Simple or Past Continuous
Complete the sentences with the verbs in brackets into the correct tense Past Simple or Past Continuous.
1.- It _____________ (snow) when I _________ (leave) home this morning.
2.- It was a sunny afternoon and people __________ (sit) on the grass in the park. Then suddenly it
__________ (start) to rain.
3.- A: I tried to explain my problem to her. B: ____________________ (she/listen)?
4.- My brother ______________ (talk) on the phone when I arrived, but when he ____________ (see)
me, he ___________ (finish) the call. Perhaps he thought that I ____________ (listen) to his
conversation.
5.- I nearly had an accident today. A car ____________ (come) towards me, but I moved quickly out of
the way and fortunately nothing ____________ (happen).
6.- A: Which hotel ______________ (you/stay) in when you lost your passport?
B: I don’t remember. I ____________ (visit) many places during my European tour and I
____________ (stay) in many different hotels.
7.- I ____________ (move) to Dubai in 2010. I ____________ (live) there when I met them.
8.- ________________ (many people / wait) for the 9:15 bus last night?
9.- I ______________ (dance) when the radio jockey played our favorite song.
10.- I ____________ (study) grammar when I ___________ (fall) asleep.
11.- The scientists ___________ (work) in their laboratory when they___________ (discover) the new
drug.
12.- We ___________ (climb) the wall when the gardener ___________ (see) us.
13.-Vicky ___________ (have) a beautiful dream when the alarm clock __________ (ring)
14.- As he ____________ (run) for the bus he ___________ (collide) with a street lamp.
15.- When he __________ (carry) a suitcase, he __________ (drop) it on his foot.
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16..- ___________ (you / do) your homework on the bus while you ____________ (come) to school?
17.- The students ____________ (read) the article when the last class ___________ (finish).
18.- When I ____________ (arrive) at the cinema, my friends __________ (wait) for me.
19.- ____________ (you / listen) to the teacher when she ___________ (explain) this exercise?
20.- Susan __________ (play) the piano while Mary ___________ (sing).
ANSWER KEY
1.- was snowing / left
2.- were sitting / started
3.- was she listening?
4.- was talking on the phone / saw / finished
5.- was coming / moved / happened
6.- were you staying
7.- moved / was living
8.- Were many people waiting
9.- was dancing
10.- was studying / fell asleep
11.- were working / discovered
12.- were climbing / saw
13.- was having / rang
14..- was running / collided
15.- was carrying / dropped
16.- Did you do / you were coming
17.- were reading / finished
18.- arrived / were waiting
19.- were you listening / explained
20.- was playing the piano / was singing
Prepared by Dr. Rupa
