English Exercises > past simple exercises

Downloadable worksheets: PAST CONTINUOUS AND PAST SIMPLE Level: intermediate Age: 10-14 Downloads: 5202   FOUR TENSES REVIEW -PRESENT SIMPLE- PRESENT CONTINUOUS-PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS (B&W VERSION+ KEY INCLUDED) Level: elementary Age: 12-14 Downloads: 3536   Past Continuous and Past Simple Level: intermediate Age: 12-14 Downloads: 2560   Conversation Questions for Elementary Students Level: elementary Age: 10-17 Downloads: 2341   **SPEAKING PROMPTS** | PAST simple/continuous practice |32 cards| FUN CONVERSATION ACTIVITY Level: intermediate Age: 10-17 Downloads: 2509   Reviewing Basic Grammar Points series (9) - Past Simple and Past Continuous (all forms) Level: intermediate Age: 10-17 Downloads: 2075

Past Simple and Past Continuous ���� Past Simple ������� ������ Past Continuous � � � � �������� Contrast ������ Use the Past Simple to talk about an event which happened at some point in time in the past. ������ Use the Past Continuous to talk about activities or situations which were not completed in the past or to set the scene (background) in a story. ������ The past continuous also indicates that a longer action in the past was interrupted. ������ The interruption is usually a shorter action in the Simple Past. ������ Remember this can be a real interruption or just an interruption in time. �������� �������� ������� Exercise 1��Choose the correct past simple. ���������� 1.���It��________ (rain) yesterday afternoon.����������rainned����rained������� �������� 2.���Mary _______(practise) the violin last night�����practised��practises�� �������� 3.���Last summer Mandy _____ (study) Spanish� �� studyed��� studied� �������� 4.�� The audience _____ (clap) at the end.������������� clapped��� claped �������� 5.���We ______ (go) to Paris last year.����������������� �went��������goed��� � � �������Exercise 2 Complete the sentences with the past simple tense. ������ 1.� We� (take) a lot of photos in London. ������ 2.� He's very rich. (win) the lottery? ������ 3.� My boyfriend (send) me twenty emails yesterday. ������ 4.� They (not have) a good time at the disco. ������ 5.� (visit) your grandparents at the weekend? ������ 6.� My brother (not do) his homework last night. ��Exercise�3� Choose the correct form of the past continuous. ��� 1. Max was playingwere playingwas playwas plaingwere plaing�a computer game at 6 o'clock. ������� 2. I were gettingwere getingwas gettingwas geting�dressed when you arrived. ������� 3.�We were haveingwere havingwas havingwas haveing�dinner at 8.30. ������� 4. Pete and Mary weren't readwasn't readingwere not readingwas not read�a magazine. ������� 5.�Your�mother was cookingwasn't cookkingwere cookingwere not cook�a pizza.����� ������������������������������������������� � ��Exercise�4 Complete the sentences with the past continuous tense. ��� 1.� I� (watch) TV when he came. � � � � 2.� While we� (have) the picnic, we saw a bear. � � � � 3.� The children (listen) to the teacher. � � � � 4.� I didn't hear the phone because I (listen) to my i-Pod. � � � � 5.� What (do) when I called? � � � � 6.� Sam (wait) for us at the bus stop.� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �� � ������� Exercise�5� Choose the correct tense: past simple or past continuous. ������ �������� As I camewas coming�home yesterday, I metwas meeting�Mark's friend, Sue. She lookedwas looking�in a shop window when I sawwas seeing�her. We wentwere going�for a cup of coffee and we hadwere having�a chat. Then we walkedwere walking�to the bus station. Sue's bus leftwas leaving�shortly after we arrivedwere arriving�, so Sue saidwas saying�goodbye quickly and ranwas running�to the bus. As she gotwas getting�on, I realizedwas realizing�it was the wrong bus. I ranwas running�after it, but it travelledwas travelling�too fast. � �� ��Exercise�6 Write the verb in the correct form (past simple or past continuous). ��������� 1. It� (rain) as I left the house. ������� 2. The baby � (sleep) peacefully when I took this photo. ������� 3. I (paint) this picture when I was at primarry school. ������� 4. The sun (shine) when I (get up) today. ������� 5. My brother (break) his leg, while we (ski). ������� 6. I left the party when he (arrive). ������� 7. While I (shop), I (meet) my friend. ������� 8. They� (win) the match when I phoned my girlfriend. � � � �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� Well done !