Past simple and past continuous
1 Write the past simple form of these regular and irregular verbs.
1 cry 8 chat
2 travel 9 happ
en
3 send 10 say
4 enjoy 11 kno
w
5 stop 12 try
6 break 13 cut
7 fall 14 turn
2 Complete the sentences with the past simple form of the verbs in Exercise 1.
1 Last summer, my friend and I around the south of France. We really ourselves.
2 you at the end of the film? I thought it was really sad.
3 Sarah is very angry. What you to her? You to her yesterday.
4 I my grandmother an email yesterday with a photo but she (not) how to open the attachment!
5 My mobile phone on the floor but the screen (not). That was lucky!
6 I didn’t see the accident. It all very quickly.
7 My PC was making a strange noise so I using it and it off.
8 We to open the box with a knife but my dad himself. There was blood everywhere!
3 Write questions with the past simple.
1 When / you / buy / that tablet / ?
2 How much / your new computer / cost / ?
3 What / you / do / after school yesterday / ?
4 Why / you / not / call me last night / ?
5 Where / Dad / save / the photos / on the computer / ?
6 Which files / you / delete / ?
7 How many copies / Gary / print / yesterday / ?
8 Which company / Steve Jobs / help to start / ?
4 Write the -ing form of the verbs.
1 attach 8 chan
ge
2 tie 9 uplo
ad
3 run 10 think
4 save 11 win
5 give 12 spot
6 get 13 serve
7 delete 14 realis
e
5 Complete the sentences with the past continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
1 I (make) my dinner at 8 o’clock last night.
2 Joe and Sam (use) the wrong program in IT yesterday.
3 Who was that guy you (dance) with at the party?
4 Paula (come) home from school when she saw an accident.
5 In 1999 my father (live) in Dublin. That’s where he met my mother.
6 He (open) the box when he cut his finger.
7 This time last week, we (visit) my grandmother.
8 I (sit) at the back of the classroom so I couldn’t see the screen.
9 Andrew (insert) a photo into his document when the teacher stopped the class.
10 I (start) to do my homework when my friend sent me a message.
6 Choose the correct options.
1 I listened / was listening to the radio when I heard / was hearing this fantastic song.
2 When the teacher said / was saying ‘Stop!’, I still tried / was still trying to finish the last
question.
3 I feel really silly! While I danced / was dancing, I fell / was falling and broke / was breaking my
elbow.
4 Tim played / was playing a computer game when his mum called / was calling him for lunch.
5 I looked / was looking for a file on my memory stick when I noticed / was noticing there was a
virus.
6 Ron found / was finding a really interesting website about dance music while he surfed / was
surfing the internet.
7 My mum had / was having breakfast near the computer when she spilled / was spilling her cup
of coffee on the keyboard.
8 When you saw / were seeing me yesterday, I didn’t go / wasn’t going to school, I went / was
going to the doctor’s – I felt terrible.
9 How many pictures did you take / were you taking while you travelled / were travelling around
Ireland?
10 Why did you chat / were you chatting to Philip while I tried / was trying to tell you something
really important?
7 Complete the sentences with the past simple or the past continuous form of the verbs in brackets.
1 I switched off (switch off ) the computer because it was making (make) a strange noise.
2 My dad was listening (listen) to classical music when I arrived (arrive) home from school.
3 We were playing (play) video games when my mum said ,(say) ‘Turn the volume down!’
4 My cousin met (meet) his wife, Bianca, while he was living (live) in Italy.
5 My little sister drew (draw) a picture while I was stuying (study) for my French exam.
6 While they were trying (try) to fix the computer, all the lights went out (go out).
7 When we leaved leave) school yesterday, it was pouring (pour) with rain.
8 When you saw (see) Paul, was he wearing (wear) a black jacket?
9 I was traying (try) to log on when the WiFi stopped (stop) working.
10 While Dad was printing (print) an article, the printer ran out (run out) of paper.
8 Complete the story with the correct past tense form of the verbs in brackets.
Sometimes I hate computers! Once, when I 1 tried (try) to do my English homework on my laptop, the battery
2 ran out (run out). I 3 lied (lie) on my bed and I was listening to music on Spotify. It helps me to concentrate.
I was also chatting (chat) to my friend Daniel on Facebook. OK, so I wasn`t concentrating (not concentrate) very hard
on my homework and I forgot (forget) to plug in my laptop!I didn’t notice that the battery was getting low.
I was just finishing the essay when the screen went (go) black.
I lost (lose) everything. I screamed (scream)
in frustration. My dad came (come) running into my bedroom. I 11 almost cried (cry) so he
gave (give) me his laptop. I tried (try) to remember everything in my essay –
it was (be) quite difficult especially because Daniel was sending me lots of funny videos. Anyway,
while I was watching one, the WiFi stopped working. In the end it was probably better
because I managed (manage) to finish the essay.
