Home of English Grammar

Grammar Guide
  • Home
  • Exercises
  • Rules
  • Test Yourself
  • Tools
    • Grammar Checker
    • Word Counter
  • Top Social Media Posts
  • Writing Guides
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Exercises / Past simple and past continuous: grammar exercise

Past simple and past continuous: grammar exercise

October 4, 2013 - pdf

To talk about two simultaneous short actions we use simple tenses. To talk about a longer background action which was going on when something else happened, we use the past continuous tense. We usually use the past simple tense to refer to the shorter action that interrupted the longer background action.

Complete the following sentences using an appropriate past simple or past continuous tense.

1. When I ................................. to work, I .............................. Peter.

Correct! Wrong!

2. When I ........................................ a bath, the telephone ......................................

Correct! Wrong!

3. I ........................................ when someone knocked on the door.

Correct! Wrong!

4. While she ...................................... games, I .........................................

Correct! Wrong!

5. As I ............................... my eyes, I ................................... a strange sight.

Correct! Wrong!

6. James ..................................... the lounge while I .............................. supper.

Correct! Wrong!

7. While they ....................................... caroms somebody ........................................ into the house.

Correct! Wrong!

8. I ...................................... of it just when you ..................................... your mouth.

Correct! Wrong!

9. When she ......................................... a bath, the child ................................. to cry.

Correct! Wrong!

10. She took out her pen and .......................................... writing.

Correct! Wrong!

Answers

1. When I was driving to work, I saw Peter.

2. When I was having a bath, the telephone rang.

3. I was sleeping when someone knocked on the door.

4. While she was playing games, I was working. (OR While she played games, I worked.)

5. As I opened my eyes, I saw a strange sight.

6. James tidied the lounge while I cooked supper.

7. While they were playing caroms somebody broke into the house.

8. I thought of it just when you opened your mouth.

9. When she was having a bath, the child began to cry.

10. She took out her pen and started writing.

  • Share
  • Post
  • Send
  • Mail
2,485,429 
716,032 

Grammar Checker

GrammarCheck.net - Try online
Hint → Bookmark GrammarCheck for future use.

Latest Exercises

  • Tenses Gap Filling Exercise for ESL Students June 6, 2025
  • General Grammar Exercise for Intermediate Level Learners June 4, 2025
  • Say, Ask, Tell June 3, 2025
  • Gap Filling Grammar Exercise for ESL Students June 1, 2025
  • General Grammar Exercise for ESL Students June 1, 2025
  • Countable And Uncountable Exercise for ESL Students May 31, 2025
  • B1 Grammar Exercise for Intermediate Level Students May 30, 2025
  • Countable and Uncountable Nouns – Common Mistakes May 26, 2025
  • All, All of, Some, Some of, Many, Many of May 24, 2025

Copyright © 2025 · EnglishGrammar.org
Disclaimer · Privacy Policy · Sitemap