XVII - EXERCISES Simple past & past continuous

Related links:

Verb tenses timeline chart
Verb tenses
Verb tenses guide

SIMPLE PAST & PAST CONTINUOUS

Exercise one:

Choose the correct verb forms. Use Simple Past or the Past Continuous.

1- We ……………………… (to sit) at the breakfast table when the doorbell ………………………….. (to ring).
2- He……………………… (to meet) a lot of friendly people while he……………………… (to work) in California.
3- When they……………………… (to leave) the museum, the sun………………………. (to shine).
4- The students……………………… (to play) cards when the teacher……………………… (to come) in.
5- While the children……………………… (to sleep), their parents ……………………… (to watch) TV.
6- It……………………… (to start) to rain while she……………………… (to water) the flowers in her garden.
7- When I……………………… (to open) the door, it………………………. (to rain).
8- While Henry……………………… (to have) a drink at the bar, his wife ……………………… (to swim) in the sea.
9- He……………………… (to hear) a loud bang while he ……………………… (to talk) to his friend.
10- While he ……………………… (to take) a shower, his dogs ……………………… (to eat) his steaks.

Exercise two:

Put in the verbs in brackets in the Simple Past or the Past Continuous into the gaps.

Example: I ________ my keys while I ________ to school. (to lose) (to walk)

Answer: I lost my keys while I was walking to school.

1) While I…………………………. , the school bus …………………………. (to text) (to arrive)

2) Cindy …………………………. her leg while she…………………………. . (to break) (to snowboard)

3) He …………………………. to the radio while he …………………………. breakfast. (to listen) (to prepare)

4) My father …………………………. at 70 km/h when a policeman …………………………. him. (to drive) (to stop)

5) The girl …………………………. that the boy …………………………. her. (to notice) (to watch)

6) My dad …………………………. the ladder while he …………………………. the carport. (to fall off) (to paint)

7) While we …………………………., we …………………………. crossword puzzles. (to wait) (to do)

8) Nick …………………………. sick while he …………………………. in Texas. (to become) (to travel)

9) What …………………………. when you …………………………. about 9/11? (to do) (to hear)

10) She said that she …………………………. happy, so I …………………………. to her. (not/to feel) (to talk)

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Exercise one:

1) We were sitting at the breakfast table when the doorbell rang.

2) He met a lot of friendly people while he was working in California.

3) When they left the museum, the sun was shining.

4) The students were playing cards when the teacher came in.

5) While the children were sleeping, their parents were watching TV.

6) It started to rain while she was watering the flowers in her garden.

7) When I opened the door, it was raining.

8) While Henry was having a drink at the bar, his wife was swimming in the sea.

9) He heard a loud bang while he was talking to his friend.

10) While he was taking a shower, his dogs were eating his steaks.

Exercise two:

1) While I was texting, the school bus arrived.
2) Cindy broke her leg while she was snowboarding.
3) He was listening to the radio while he was preparing breakfast.
4) My father was driving at 70 km/h when a policeman stopped him.
5) The girl noticed that the boy was watching her.
6) My dad fell off the ladder while he was painting the carport.
7) While we were waiting, we were doing crossword puzzles.
8) Nick became sick while he was travelling in Texas.
9) What were you doing when you heard about 9/11?
10) She said that she was not feeling happy, so I talked to her.

XVII - EXERCISES Simple past & past perfect

Related links:

Verb tenses timeline chart
Verb tenses
Verb tenses guide

SIMPLE PAST / PAST PERFECT

Exercise one:

Put the verbs in brackets into the gaps in the correct tense Past Perfect or Simple Past.

Example: Pat ……………………………… (to live) in London before he ……………………………… (to move) to Rome.

Answer: Pat had lived in London before he moved to Rome.


1. After Fred ……………………………… (to spend) his holiday in Italy he ……………………………… (to want) to learn Italian.

2. Jill ……………………………… (to phone) Dad at work before she ……………………………… (to leave) for her trip.

3. Susan ……………………………… (to turn on) the radio after she ……………………………… (to wash) the dishes.

4. When she ……………………………… (to arrive) the match ……………………………… already ……………………………… (to start).

5. After the man ……………………………… (to come) home he ……………………………… (to feed) the cat.

6. Before he ……………………………… (to sing) a song he ……………………………… (to play) the guitar.

7. She ……………………………… (to watch) a video after the children ……………………………… (to go) to bed.

8. After Eric ……………………………… (to make) breakfast he ……………………………… (to phone) his friend.

9. I ……………………………… (to be) very tired because I ……………………………… (to study) too much.

10. They ……………………………… (to ride) their bikes before they ……………………………… (to meet) their friends.


Exercise two:

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.

I can't believe I (get) ……………………………… that apartment. I (submit) ……………………………… my application last week, but I didn't think I had a chance of actually getting it. When I (show) ……………………………… up to take a look around, there were at least twenty other people who (arrive) ……………………………… before me. Most of them (fill, already) ……………………………… out their applications and were already leaving. The landlord said I could still apply, so I did.

I (try) ……………………………… to fill out the form, but I couldn't answer half of the questions. They (want) ……………………………… me to include references, but I didn't want to list my previous landlord because I (have) ……………………………… some problems with him in the past and I knew he wouldn't recommend me. I (end) ……………………………… up listing my father as a reference.

It was total luck that he (decide) ……………………………… to give me the apartment. It turns out that the landlord and my father (go) ……………………………… to high school together. He decided that I could have the apartment before he (look) ……………………………… at my credit report. I really lucked out!

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Exercise one:

1.       After Fred had spent his holiday in Italy he wanted to learn Italian.

2.       Jill had phoned Dad at work before she left for her trip.

3.       Susan turned on the radio after she had washed the dishes.

4.       When she arrived the match had already started.

5.       After the man had come home he fed the cat.

6.       Before he sang a song he had played the guitar.

7.       She watched a video after the children had gone to bed.

8.       After Eric had made breakfast he phoned his friend.

9.       I was very tired because I had studied too much.

10.     They had ridden their bikes before they met their friends.

Exercise two:

I can't believe I (get) got that apartment. I (submit) submitted my application last week, but I didn't think I had a chance of actually getting it. When I (show) showed up to take a look around, there were at least twenty other people who (arrive) had arrived before me. Most of them (fill, already) had already filled out their applications and were already leaving. The landlord said I could still apply, so I did.

I (try) tried to fill out the form, but I couldn't answer half of the questions. They (want) wanted me to include references, but I didn't want to list my previous landlord because I (have) had had some problems with him in the past and I knew he wouldn't recommend me. I (end) ended up listing my father as a reference.

It was total luck that he (decide) decided to give me the apartment. It turns out that the landlord and my father (go) had gone to high school together. He decided that I could have the apartment before he (look) looked at my credit report. I really lucked out!