Activity 1

Choose which verb tense (simple past or past continuous) fits

better.

1. I _____was sleeping___ - I didn't hear you come in.

a) was sleeping b) slept

2. I ___came _____ to see her twice, but she wasn't home.

a) was coming b) came

3. What ___were you doing_____? I was watching TV.

a) did you do b) were you doing

4. Robin Hood was a character who ___stole_____ from the rich and
gave to the poor.
a) stole b) was stealing

5. Hey, did you talk to her? Yes, I ___was talking_____ to her

a) was talking b) talked

6. I ____came____ home very late last night.

a) came b) was coming

7. How long ____did you have____ the flu?

a) did you have b) were you having

8. ____Did you have ____ a good time in Brazil? Yes, I had a blast!
a) Were you having b) Did you have

9. We ____were having ____ breakfast when she walked into the room.
a) had b) were having

10. Last month I decided to buy a new car, and today I finally
______ bought__ it.
a) bought b) was buying
Activity 2

Read the story and answer the following

questions. A DISASTROUS DINNER

Last Friday, Mrs. Anderson planned to have a delicious dinner. She bought a
T-bone steak and some cream and apples for an apple pie. When she
came home from the shops she put her shopping on the table. While she
was setting the table, her two pets sat underneath it and watched her. Then
she went to the kitchen to make the pastry for the pie. She was a little
forgetful so she didn’t realize the steak, cream and apples were still on the
table. While she was making the pastry, the dog jumped on a chair and
looked longingly at the steak. At last it took the steak in its mouth and
jumped off the chair, just as Mrs. Anderson was coming back into the dining
room. Mrs. Anderson screamed, but the dog ran into the garden. She ran
after the dog. While she was chasing the dog, the cat jumped on the table
and started drinking the cream. Mrs. Anderson didn’t manage to catch the
dog, and she came back into the dining room. When she saw the cat, she
shrieked, and the cat got such a fright that it jumped a meter into the air,
and leapt out the window. Mrs. Anderson threw her broom at the cat, but
she missed, and broke the window. At the same time she overbalanced
and put her hand in the cream, spilling it all over the tablecloth. Poor Mrs.
Anderson - she had no dinner, only a dirty tablecloth and a broken window.

Glossary: set the table - put knives and forks, plates, salt etc. on the table., underneath - under it.,
longingly - e.g. the dog wanted it but knew it couldn’t have it., shriek - louder than scream., get
a fright - suddenly (not the same as be frightened)., overbalance - to lose your balance and fall.

Answer these questions about the story. Answer in complete sentences.

1. What did Mrs. Anderson plan? She planned to have a delicious dinner
2. Why did she buy cream and apples? She got the cream and apples to do
an apple pie
3. When did her pets watch her? when she was sitting on the table
4. Where did she leave the steak? on the table
5. When did the dog jump on the chair? when she was making the pastry
6. How did the dog look at the steak? longingly
7. When did the dog jump off the chair? just as Mrs. Anderson was coming
back into the dining room
8. Where did the dog go? the dog ran into the garden
9. What was she doing when the cat jumped on the
table? 10. What did Mrs. Anderson do when she saw the
cat? . Mrs. Anderson threw her broom at the cat, but she
missed

Activity 3

Complete the following sentences with the correct form (Past Simple or Past
Continuous).

1. A: What (you, do) ___________did you do________ when you heard

that noise? B: I (try) _____tried

________ to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

2. After I (find) ____finded_______________ the wallet full of money, I (go,

immediately)_____went immediately______________ to the police and (turn)
_____turned______________ it in.

3. The doctor (say) ______said_____________ that Brian (be) __was

______________ too weak to go to work and that he (need)
_________needed__________ to stay at home for a couple of days.

4. My best friend (arrive) ________arrived___________ at my house a little

before 9:00 pm, but I (be, not) ____was not_______________ there. I (study)
____studied_______________ at the library for my final examination in Italian.

5. John is in the living room working on his computer. At this time yesterday,
he (work, also) ____worked also_______________ on his computer. That's all he
ever does!
6. I (call) ___________called________ you last night after dinner, but you (be,
not)_____were note______________ there. Where were you?
B: I (work) ______worked_____________ out at the gym.

7. When I (walk) ____walked_______________ into the busy office, the

secretaries (talk)__________were talking_________ on the phone with
customers, a clerk (work, busily)_______worked busily____________ at his desk,
and two managers (discuss, quietly) __were discussing
quietly_________________ methods to improve customer service.

8. I (watch) ___________________ a thriller on T.V. when the electricity went

out. Now I am never going to find out how the film ends.

9. Samantha (be) ___________________ in the room when Bob (tell)

___________________ me what happened, but she didn't hear anything
because she (be, listen) ___________________ to music.

10. It's strange that you (call) ___________________ because I (think, just)
___________________ about you.

Activity 4

Find the Past Simple of the following verbs:

Work ____________________ come __________________

Walk ____________________ speak __________________
Talk _____________________ see ____________________
Clean ___________________ do _____________________
Live _____________________ go _____________________
Wash ___________________ sing ____________________

Complete what Jenny says using the following verbs in the Past
Continuous:
Jenny is telling her teacher why she couldn't study for an exam. watch

listen sing clean cook play lie

It was impossible for me to concentrate! I went to my bedroom and my

mother _________________________ the carpet with the vacuum cleaner.
Then I went to the living room but my brother Paul _______________________
on the sofa. He ____________ his guitar. After that I decided to go to the
kitchen.
There, my grandmother _________________________ and she ___________ also
____________________ TV. Finally, I went out to the garden where I found my
sister. She __________________ to her Walkman and she ___________________
at the top of her voice.
Activity 5

Write the correct form of the verb, using the Past Simple or the
Past Continuous tense.

A: I __________________________ (see) Peter and John in the park on

Sunday. B: _________________________________ (they/play) football?
They always play football on Sundays.
A: No, they ______________________ (not/be).
They _______________________ (talk) with some girls.
B: ____________________________ (you/say) hello to them?
A. Although I _______________________ (call) their names, they
_______________ (not/hear) me.
B: Maybe they _______________________ (not/notice) you ________________
(be) there

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

1) Frank _______________ (finish) his lunch and ____________ (ring) his friend
Jason.

2) Jason ____________ (watch) TV when Fran______________ (phone) him.

3) He ____________ (turn off) the TV when he ____________ (hear) the phone

ringing.

4) They _________________________ (decide) what to do when Jason

_____________________ (suggest) going to the club.

5) Frank _______________ Jason ____________ (pick up) and _________________

(drive) to the club.

6) Two other people _______________________(use) their tennis court when

they _________________________ (arrive).

7) They ______________________ (drink) a soda and ____________________

(eat) a sandwich while they _____________________(wait) to play.

8) While they __________________________ (play), it ________ (start) to rain so

they ______________________ (have) to stop playing.