Exercise 1 : Choose the best answer to complete the sentences 1. John ………… down the street when he fell. a. walked b. was walking c. has walked 2. Mike ………… football when he broke his arm. a. play b. played c. was playing 3. There is ………… in the cupboards. We have to go to the supermarket. a. nothing b. everything c. anything 4. I was watching TV last night when I ………… a strange noise. a. hear b. heard c. was hearing 5. As I ………… towards the window, the curtains started to move. a. walk b. walked c. was walking 6. Helen was writing a letter when her pen ………… a. breaks b. broke c. was breaking 7. He ………… over when he was crossing the road. a. fall b. fell c. was falling 8. David ………… to the radio when the batteries ………… out. a. was listening – ran b. listened – were running c. listened - ran 9. Something happened to me when I ………… my aunt yesterday. a. was visiting b. visited c. visit 10. They were having a party when the doorbell ………… a. rings b. rang c. was ringing 11. Mai was reading books at the library ………… 3 p.m yesterday. a. in b. on c. at 12. He ………… the bedroom when suddenly he fell off the ladder. a. was painting b. paint c. painted Exercise 2 : Put in the verb in brackets into the past continuous tense Example: Eddie __________ a comic. (to read). => Eddie was reading a comic. 1. She ……………. hockey. (to play) 2. They ……………. in the pool. (to swim) 3. It ……………. (to rain) 4. We ……………. to music. (to listen) 5. The mobile ……………. (to ring) 6. The students ……………. messages. (to send) 7. Max ……………. with two girls. (to dance) 8. I ……………. in front of the shop. (to wait) 9. The cat ……………. in the basket. (to sleep) 10. He ……………. Gerry's bike. (to repair) 11. I ……………. to my friend. (to talk) 12. He ……………. the beds. (to make) 13. The boys ……………. the parrots. (to feed) 14. We ……………. breakfast at 5:30 this morning. (to have) 15. She ……………. a nice skirt. (to wear) 16. Tom's younger brother ……………. (to cry) 17. You ……………. photos with my new camera, weren't you? (to take) 18. My father ……………. vegetables at the supermarket. (to buy) 19. They ……………. on the sofa. (to sit) 20. Robert ……………. on the beach. (to lie) 1 Exercise 3 : Choose the correct verb forms. Use simple past or the past continuous tense 1. We …………… (sit) at the breakfast table when the doorbell …………… (ring) 2. He ……… (meet) a lot of friendly people when he ………… (work) in California. 3. When they …………… (leave) the museum, the sun …………… (shine). 4. The students …………… (play) cards when the teacher …………… (come) in. 5. When the children …………… (play), their parents …………… (come) home. 6. It ………… (start) to rain while she …………… (water) the flowers in her garden. 7. When I …………… (open) the door, it …………… (rain) 8. While Henry ……… (have) a drink at the bar, his wife ………… (phone) in the sea. 9. He …………… (hear) a loud bang while he …………… (talk) to his friend. 10. While he …………… (have) a shower, someone …………… (knock) at the door. Exercise 4 : Put in the verbs in brackets in the simple past or the past continuous tense 1. While I …………… (send) messages, the school bus …………… (arrive) 2. Cindy …………… (break) her leg while she …………… (snowboard) 3. He …………… (cut) himself to the radio while he …………… (prepare) breakfast. 4. My father …………… (drive) at 70 km/h when a policeman ………… (stop) him. 5. The girl …………… (laugh) that the boy …………… (watch) her. 6. My dad …………… (fall off) the ladder while he …………… (paint) the carport. 7. While we …………… (do) crossword puzzles, our teacher …………… (come) 8. Nick …………… (become) sick while he …………… (travel) in Texas. 9. What …………… (you / do) when you …………… (hear) about that bad news? 10. I …………… (read) novels when the house …………… (catch) fire. Exercise 5 : Give the correct form of the verbs in brackets 1. A: What …………… … (you, do) when the accident occurred? B: I ………………… (try) to change a light bulb that had burnt out. 2. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she ……………….…… (watch, also) television. That's all she ever does! 3. A: I ………… … (call) you last night after dinner, but you ……………… (be, not) there. Where were you? B: I …………………… (work) out at the fitness center. 4. When I …………… … (walk) into the busy office, the secretary ………… …… (talk) on the phone with a customer, several clerks ………………… …… (work, busily) at their desks, and two managers ………………………… (discuss, quietly) methods to improve customer service. 5. I ………….…….… (watch) a mystery movie on TV when the electricity went out. Now I am never going to find out how the movie ends. 6. The Titanic ……… ……… (cross) the Atlantic when it …….……… (strike) an iceberg. 2 . ……………. on the beach. (to lie) 1 Exercise 3 : Choose the correct verb forms. Use simple past or the past continuous tense 1. We …………… (sit) at the breakfast table when the doorbell …………… (ring) 2. He. …………… (knock) at the door. Exercise 4 : Put in the verbs in brackets in the simple past or the past continuous tense 1. While I …………… (send) messages, the school bus …………… (arrive) 2. Cindy ……………. ladder. a. was painting b. paint c. painted Exercise 2 : Put in the verb in brackets into the past continuous tense Example: Eddie __________ a comic. (to read). => Eddie was reading a comic. 1.