4ESO past simple or past continuous? + answers

1. Fill in the gaps with the correct form in past continuous or past simple:

John _________________(listen) to his new CD when his dad ______________ (come) into his room.
What __________________(you/do) at twelve o’clock last night?
There __________(be) fifty thousand people at the concert. It _________(be) a beautiful afternoon. The sun _____________(shine) . Everyone ______________(sit) down. When the music ________________(start), they _______________ (get) up and ________________(start) to dance. They _________________ (dance) when I left.
I _______________ (play) the guitar when the telephone ____________ (rang).

2.Complete the sentences with the past simple or the past continuous:

I ..........................(meet) Tom and Ann at the airport a few weeks ago. They ..............................(go) to Berlin and I .....................................(go) to Madrid. We ..................................(have) a chat while we ...........................................(wait) for our flights.
How fast ........................................(you/drive) when the accident................................(happen)?
What ......................................(you/do) this time yesterday? I was asleep.
.....................................(be/Carol) at the party yesterday? Yes, she .....................................(wear) a really nice dress.
We .............................(be) in a difficult position. We.......................................(not know) what to do.
I....................................(walk) along the street when suddenly I .............................(hear) footsteps behind me. Somebody .......................................(follow) me. I was frightened and I .................................... (start) to run.

3.Put in the correct form of the verb, PAST SIMPLE or PAST CONTINUOUS:

Rita: I heard the lights went (go) out in your flats last night
Emma: Yes, ____________________________ (I/watch) a documentary on TV when suddenly _____________________________________ (we/lose) all the power. But _________________(it/come) on again after about ten minutes.
Vicky: Rachel ___________________________ (come) down the stairs when the lights
_______________________________ (go) out. She almost ______________________
(fall) over.
Daniel: Matthew and I __________________________ (play) table tennis at the time.
Andrew: _________________________ (I/work) on the computer. _______________________ (I/lose) a whole hour's work. But this morning _______________________________(I/get) up early and ______________________ (do) it again.

4.Put the verbs into the correct form, PAST SIMPLE or PAST CONTINUOUS:

a. Jane (wait) for me when I (arrive).
………………………………………………………………………………...
b. What (you/do) this time yesterday?. I was asleep.
………………………………………………………………………………...
c. (you/go) out last night?. No, I was too tired.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
f. John (take) a photograph of me while I (not/look).
………………………………………………………………………………...
h. I haven't seen Alan for ages. When I last (see) him, he (try) to find a job in London.
……………………………………………………………………………

5.Complete these sentences with Past Simple and Past Continuous.

- What .........................................the students ......................................... (do) when Mr. Yates ............................................. (turn) round?
- While I ............................................. (tidy) my room I ..................................... (discover) a family of mice.
- I ........................................ (not see) you while you ............................................. (shop) in the supermarket.
- She ................................................... (listen) to pop music when her CD player ......................................... (break).
- While Greg ................................. (have) dinner, he ............................................. (watch) television.
What .............................................they ............................................. (do) while they ............................................. (wait) for the bus?
- I ........................................... (not think) about you when you .......................................... (call).
- While we ............................................. (listen) to the radio the electricity ............................................. (go) off.


Answers

Exercise 1

-was listening- came
-were you doing
-were- was- was shining- was sitting- started- got- started- were dancing
-was playing- rang

Exercise 2

met
were going- was going
had
were waiting
were you driving
were you doing
was Carol
was wearing
were
didn't know
was alking
heard
was following
started

Exercise 3

was watching- lost- came on- was coming- went- fell- were playing- was working- lost- got- did

Exercise 4

was waiting- arrived
were you doing
did you go
took- wasn't looking
saw- was trying

Exercise 5

were the students doingg- turned
was tidying- discovered
didn't see- were shoppping
was listening- broke
was having- was watching
were they doing- were waiting
wasn't thinking- called
were listening- went