Name: …………………………………………………………

Exercise 1: Choose the correct alternative “When/ While”

1. I had a bad dream _____________ I was sleeping on the sofa
2. I was talking to my husband in the park _____________ two cars crashed behind us.
3. You called me last night _____________ I was studying for an important exam.
4. The students were doing an exercise _____________ the bell rang.
5. Anna was doing her homework _____________ the lights went out.
Exercise 2: Choose the correct answer
1. The Smiths (aren’t painting/ weren’t painting) their house last weekend
2. Tom (cleaned/ was cleaning) the living room when Jane arrived
3. (Did/ Were) the students writing an essay in class this morning?
4. Frank (was fixing/ fixed) his car when his mobile rang
5. Mark (didn’t wear/ wasn’t wearing) a coat when it started to rain.
6. He (is/ was) driving to work this morning when Anna called.
7. While my parents (were working/ was working), I was studying at home
8. I (walked/ was walking) home when I (tripped/ was tripping) and fell
9. At 8 o’clock last night, we were (having/ had) dinner at a Chinese restaurant.
Exericise 3: Circle the correct verb form in each of the following sentences
1. Mary (prepared/ was preparing) lunch when they (came/ was coming)
2. The sun (shone/ was shining) brightly when I (got up/ was getting up) this morning.
3. Ann finally (told/ was telling) us the whole story about Peter
4. We (drove/ were driving) to Berlin in Robert’s new car
5. Last weekend Susan (fell/ was falling) and (broke/ was breaking) her leg
6. Who was that nice girl you (talked/ were talking) to when I (walked/ was walking) by
the pub?
7. When I (entered / was entering) the cafeteria Mary (had / was having) lunch with
Peter.
Exercise 4: Complete the gaps in Past Simple or Past Continuous
1. We ______________ to the cinema yesterday. (to go)
2. I ______________ my homework for the whole evening yesterday. (to do)
3. Emily ______________ the piano at 4 p.m yesterday. (to play)
4. When John came home, his little brother ______________ TV. (to watch)
5. They ______________ a new house last month. (to buy)
6. We ______________ our relatives in the USA two years ago. (to visit)
7. As Sophie ______________ (walk) up Regent Street, she ____________ (meet) an old friend
from college.
8. Who ______________ (you/ speak) to on the phone when I ______________ (come) in?
9. Mary ______________ (read) in bed when she ______________ (hear) a strange noise
downstairs.
10. The fireman ______________ (rescue) a 75-year-old woman who ______________ (be)
trapped on the second floor of the burning building.
Exercise 5: Complete the sentences with the past simple or the past
continuous form the verbs.
1. Peter ___________ (play) a video game when his brother, Jack, ___________ (enter) the
room.
2. I ___________ (study) for my English test when my mother ___________ (come) home
from work.
3. Emma ___________ (wash) the dishes when the telephone ___________ (ring).
4. I ___________ (ate) a sandwich while my parents ___________ (drink) coffee.
5. I ___________ (watch) a DVD when my cat ___________ (jump) on me.
6. I ___________ (not hear) the thunder during the storm last night because I ___________
(sleep)
7. It (be) ___________ beautiful yesterday when we ___________ (go) for a walk in the park.
The sun ___________ (shine). The birds ___________ (sing).
8. My brother and sister ___________ (talk) anout something when I ___________ (walk) into
the room.
9. Tom ___________(go) to his friend’s house, but the boys ___________ (not be) there. They
___________ (play) soccer in the vacant lot down the street.
10. The little boy ___________ (fall) asleep while his mother ___________ (read) him a story.
11. I really ___________ (enjoy) my holiday last January. While it ___________ (snow) in
Iowa, the sun ___________ (shine) in Floria.
12. It ___________ (snow) when I ___________ (leave) home this morning.
13. It was a sunny afternoon and people ___________ (sit) on the grass in the park. Then
suddenly it ___________ (start) to rain.
14. My brother ___________ (talk) on the phone when I arrived, but when he ___________
(see) me, he ___________ (finish) the call. Perhaps he thought that I ___________ (listen) to
his conversation.
15. We ___________ (climb) the wall when the gardener ___________ (see) us.
16. Susan ___________ (play) the piano while Mary ___________ (sing)
Exercise 6: Make sentences from the prompts using past simple and past
continuous
1. I / drop / my mobile phone / when / I / walk / to school.
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2. What / Jamie / do / when / you / see / him?
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3. It / not rain / when / we / leave / the house / this morning.
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4. Emily / not ride / her bike / when / the accident / happen.
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5. they / sleep / when / you / phone / them?
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6. Who / you / talk / to / when / I arrive?
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