Past simple and past continuous – English Grammar Test for A2
Grammar » Grammar Test for A2 » Past simple and past continuous - English Grammar Test for A2
B: I ______ (watch) TV when my friend called.
2 A: Where ______ (you/go) when I met you?
B: I ______ (go) to the supermarket.
3 A: What ______ (she/do) when the phone rang?
B: She ______ (cook) dinner.
4 A: ______ (you/see) Tom yesterday?
B: Yes, he ______ (play) football in the park.
5 A: What ______ (happen) while you ______ (walk) home?
B: I ______ (lose) my wallet.
6 A: Where ______ (they/sit) when you arrived?
B: They ______ (sit) in the garden.
7 A: What ______ (you/do) when the teacher came in?
B: I ______ (talk) to my friend.
8 A: ______ (she/finish) her homework yesterday?
B: Yes, she ______ (finish) it before dinner.
9 A: What ______ (you/read) yesterday at 8 p.m.?
B: I ______ (read) a novel.
10 A: What ______ (the children/play) when it started to rain?
B: They ______ (play) football.
11 A: Who ______ (you/meet) yesterday?
B: I ______ (meet) Sarah at the bus stop.
12 A: What ______ (he/do) while you ______ (wait) for him?
B: He ______ (talk) to his teacher.
13 A: ______ (you/know) the answer in the test?
B: Yes, I ______ (write) it quickly.
14 A: What ______ (your brother/do) when you arrived?
B: He ______ (watch) TV.
15 A: Where ______ (you/go) last summer?
B: We ______ (travel) to Spain.
16 A: What ______ (you/do) at 10 o’clock last night?
B: I ______ (study) English.
17 A: ______ (she/call) you yesterday?
B: Yes, she ______ (call) me in the evening.
18 A: What ______ (he/do) when you saw him?
B: He ______ (repair) his bike.
19 A: Where ______ (they/play) when you saw them?
B: They ______ (play) in the park.
20 A: What ______ (you/do) while I ______ (cook)?
B: I ______ (set) the table.
21 A: ______ (you/go) to the cinema last weekend?
B: Yes, we ______ (watch) a new film.
22 A: What ______ (the teacher/explain) when the bell rang?
B: He ______ (explain) the new grammar.
23 A: What ______ (happen) while they ______ (play) tennis?
B: It ______ (start) to rain.
24 A: What ______ (she/wear) when you met her?
B: She ______ (wear) a red dress.
25 A: ______ (you/see) the accident yesterday?
B: Yes, I ______ (see) it on my way home.
26 A: What ______ (you/do) when the lights went out?
B: I ______ (write) an email.
27 A: What ______ (he/do) yesterday morning?
B: He ______ (visit) his grandmother.
28 A: What ______ (you/do) while your friend ______ (sleep)?
B: I ______ (listen) to music.
29 A: Who ______ (you/talk) to when I saw you?
B: I ______ (talk) to my boss.
30 A: What ______ (they/do) last night?
B: They ______ (have) dinner at a restaurant.
Answer
1 were you doing / was watching – Background action + interruption.
2 were you going / went – Continuous for background, Simple for completed action.
3 was she doing / was cooking – Ongoing action interrupted.
4 Did you see / was playing – Simple for completed, Continuous for background.
5 happened / were walking / lost – Ongoing action + sudden event.
6 were they sitting / were sitting – Describing scene.
7 were you doing / was talking – Ongoing action in progress.
8 Did she finish / finished – Past Simple for completed action.
9 were you reading / was reading – Action in progress at a specific time.
10 were the children playing / were playing – Background action.
11 did you meet / met – Completed action yesterday.
12 was he doing / were waiting / was talking – Continuous for background.
13 Did you know / wrote – Past Simple for state & completed action.
14 was your brother doing / was watching – Ongoing background.
15 did you go / travelled – Past Simple for holiday.
16 were you doing / was studying – Past Continuous at specific time.
17 Did she call / called – Completed past event.
18 was he doing / was repairing – Continuous describes background.
19 were they playing / were playing – Scene description.
20 were you doing / was cooking / set – Background + completed action.
21 Did you go / watched – Past Simple for finished actions.
22 was the teacher explaining / was explaining – Ongoing background action.
23 happened / were playing / started – Ongoing action interrupted.
24 was she wearing / was wearing – Background description.
25 Did you see / saw – Past Simple for completed event.
26 were you doing / was writing – Ongoing background.
27 was he doing / visited – Past Simple for specific action.
28 were you doing / was sleeping / was listening – Continuous for simultaneous actions.
29 were you talking / was talking – Ongoing action when seen.
30 did they do / had – Past Simple for completed action.