1. Choose the correct tense to complete the sentences.
1 Jake looked at the weather outside: it was grey, but it didn’t rain / wasn’t raining.
2 You didn’t answer when I phoned you this morning. What did you do / were you doing?
3 Lucy switched off her computer, put on / was putting on her coat and left / was leaving the office.
4 She closed the window because some children made / were making a lot of noise outside.
5 When I told my friends about the robbery, they didn’t believe / weren’t believing me.
6 She didn’t hear the doorbell because she had / was having a shower.
Answer
1 wasn’t raining 2 were you doing 3 put on, left
4 were making 5 didn’t believe 6 was having
2. Complete the sentences. Use the past simple form of one verb and the past continuous form of the other.
1 I ………………………… (see) Henry as I ………………………… (cycle) to the sports centre.
2 While we ………………………… (prepare) the picnic, it ………………………… (start) to rain.
3 All my friends ………………………… (leave) the party when I ………………………… (arrive).
4 As we ………………………… (walk) by the river, we ………………………… (hear) a shout.
5 We ………………………… (not eat) very much while we ………………………… (stay) in that hotel.
6 I ………………………… (drink) my dad’s coffee while he ………………………… (not look).
7 She ………………………… (drop) her new phone as she ………………………… (put) it in her pocket.
8 I ………………………… (meet) a really interesting person while I ………………………… (wait) for the bus.
Answer
1 saw, was cycling 2 were preparing, started
3 were leaving, arrived 4 were walking, heard
5 didn’t eat, were staying 6 drank, wasn’t looking
7 dropped, was putting 8 met, was waiting
3. Complete the text with the past simple or past continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
In January 2014, a doctor from New Zealand 1 had (have) a frightening experience with a shark – but his calm reaction 2……………………….. (make) him the star of news reports around the world.
James Grant 3……………………….. (fish) with friends one Saturday when a shark attacked him. He 4……………………….. (not see) anything, but he 5……………………….. (felt) a sudden pain in his leg. At first, he thought that his friends 6……………………….. (play) a prank on him. He 7……………………….. (turn) around – but nobody 8……………………….. (be) behind him. Then he 9……………………….. (realise) what 10……………………….. (happen).
Luckily, James 11……………………….. (carry) a knife so he 12……………………….. (use) it to fight off the shark. Then he 13……………………….. (get) out of the water and 14……………………….. (look) at his leg. The bites were 5 cm long and they 15……………………….. (bleed) a lot. James 16……………………….. (clean) his leg. Then he and his friends 17……………………….. (go) to a nearby café! While they 18……………………….. (enjoy) a drink, somebody 19……………………….. (give) James a bandage because his leg 20……………………….. (bleed). He 21……………………….. (go) to hospital for some treatment, but on Monday he was back at work.
Answer
2 made 3 was fishing 4 didn’t see 5 felt
6 were playing 7 turned 8 was 9 realised
10 was happening 11 was carrying 12 used
13 got 14 looked 15 were bleeding 16 cleaned
17 went 18 were enjoying 19 gave
20 was bleeding 21 went
4. Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first.
1 I hurt my finger while I was playing the guitar.
I was playing the guitar when I hurt my finger.
2 I was walking home when it started to rain.
While I ……………………………………………………
3 She broke her leg while she was learning to ski.
She was learning ……………………………………………………
4 He was making lunch when he suddenly felt ill.
As he ……………………………………………………
5 She was telling me about her party when she started to laugh loudly.
She started ……………………………………………………
6 I lost my wallet while I was shopping.
While I ……………………………………………………
7 As the band were playing their first song, all the lights went out.
The band were playing ……………………………………………………
Answer
2 While I was walking home, it started to snow.
3 She was learning to ski when she broke her leg.
4 As he was making lunch, he suddenly felt ill.
5 She started to laugh when she was telling me about her party.
6 When I was shopping, I lost my wallet.
7 The band were playing their first song when the lights went out.
5. Complete the sentences with your own ideas. Use the past simple or past continuous.
1 As I was getting off the bus, ……………………………………………………
2 We were trying to find our hotel when ……………………………………………………
3 An amazing thing happened as ……………………………………………………
Answer
your own answers
6. Complete the paragraph from a story. Use the past simple or past continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
When they 1………………………….. (set out) from the hotel at eight in the morning, the sun 2………………………….. (shine). They 3………………………….. (walk) along the path when suddenly Emily 4………………………….. (stop) and asked, ‘5………………………….. (you / hear) something strange?’ Anna replied, ‘I 6………………………….. (not hear) anything. What do you mean?’ A moment later, the sun 7………………………….. (not shine) and the sky was black. ‘It’s a tornado!’ Anna said. ‘We need to go indoors – fast!’
Answer
1 set out 2 was shining 3 were walking 4 stopped
5 did you hear 6 didn’t hear 7 wasn’t shining
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