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
(a) waited
(b) was waiting
(c) waits
2 She ______ (drop) her phone while she ______ (run) to catch the train.
(a) dropped / was running
(b) was dropping / ran
(c) dropped / ran
3 We ______ (have) dinner when the lights went out.
(a) had
(b) were having
(c) has
4 He ______ (see) an accident while he ______ (drive) to work.
(a) saw / was driving
(b) was seeing / drove
(c) saw / drove
5 They ______ (play) football when it suddenly ______ (start) to snow.
(a) played / started
(b) were playing / started
(c) were playing / was starting
6 I ______ (lose) my wallet while I ______ (shop) in the market.
(a) lost / was shopping
(b) was losing / shopped
(c) lost / shopped
7 She ______ (burn) her hand while she ______ (cook).
(a) burned / was cooking
(b) was burning / cooked
(c) burned / cooked
8 We ______ (stay) at a hotel when we ______ (visit) Paris last summer.
(a) stayed / were visiting
(b) were staying / visited
(c) stayed / visited
9 He ______ (listen) to music when the phone rang.
(a) listened
(b) was listening
(c) listens
10 While I ______ (walk) home, I ______ (meet) an old friend.
(a) walked / met
(b) was walking / met
(c) was walking / was meeting
11 She ______ (not/finish) her homework before dinner.
(a) didn’t finish
(b) wasn’t finishing
(c) not finished
12 We ______ (watch) a film when the doorbell rang.
(a) watched
(b) were watching
(c) watches
13 He ______ (spill) coffee on his shirt while he ______ (talk) on the phone.
(a) spilled / was talking
(b) was spilling / talked
(c) spilled / talked
14 I ______ (drop) my keys while I ______ (get off) the bus.
(a) dropped / was getting off
(b) was dropping / got off
(c) dropped / got off
15 They ______ (study) when the teacher suddenly ______ (come) in.
(a) studied / came
(b) were studying / came
(c) were studying / was coming
16 He ______ (forget) his wallet when he ______ (leave) home.
(a) forgot / left
(b) was forgetting / left
(c) forgot / was leaving
17 I ______ (sleep) when the alarm ______ (go) off.
(a) slept / went
(b) was sleeping / went
(c) was sleeping / was going
18 She ______ (hurt) her ankle while she ______ (run) in the park.
(a) hurt / was running
(b) was hurting / ran
(c) hurt / ran
19 We ______ (sit) in the café when we ______ (hear) the news.
(a) sat / heard
(b) were sitting / heard
(c) were sitting / was hearing
20 He ______ (not/go) to school yesterday because he ______ (be) sick.
(a) didn’t go / was
(b) wasn’t going / was
(c) didn’t go / were
21 While she ______ (paint), her brother ______ (listen) to music.
(a) painted / listened
(b) was painting / was listening
(c) painted / was listening
22 They ______ (watch) TV when their mother ______ (come) home.
(a) were watching / came
(b) watched / came
(c) were watching / was coming
23 I ______ (fall) asleep while I ______ (read).
(a) fell / was reading
(b) was falling / read
(c) fell / read
24 He ______ (not/see) me because he ______ (look) the other way.
(a) didn’t see / was looking
(b) wasn’t seeing / looked
(c) didn’t see / looked
25 While we ______ (wait) for the bus, it suddenly ______ (start) to rain.
(a) waited / started
(b) were waiting / started
(c) were waiting / was starting
26 She ______ (clean) the house yesterday morning.
(a) cleaned
(b) was cleaning
(c) cleans
27 They ______ (have) lunch when I ______ (arrive).
(a) had / arrived
(b) were having / arrived
(c) had / was arriving
28 He ______ (watch) football on TV last night.
(a) watched
(b) was watching
(c) watches
29 We ______ (play) cards when my father ______ (enter) the room.
(a) played / entered
(b) were playing / entered
(c) were playing / was entering
30 I ______ (hear) a strange sound while I ______ (walk) in the park.
(a) heard / was walking
(b) was hearing / walked
(c) heard / walked
Answer
1 (b) was waiting – Ongoing action when interrupted by rain.
2 (a) dropped / was running – Sudden event + ongoing action.
3 (b) were having – Background action interrupted.
4 (a) saw / was driving – Past Simple event + Past Continuous background.
5 (b) were playing / started – Continuous action interrupted by sudden event.
6 (a) lost / was shopping – Sudden completed action during background activity.
7 (a) burned / was cooking – Sudden event + background action.
8 (c) stayed / visited – Both completed past actions.
9 (b) was listening – Ongoing action when interrupted.
10 (b) was walking / met – Continuous background + sudden event.
11 (a) didn’t finish – Negative Past Simple for completed action.
12 (b) were watching – Ongoing action interrupted.
13 (a) spilled / was talking – Sudden completed event + background.
14 (a) dropped / was getting off – Sudden event during ongoing action.
15 (b) were studying / came – Continuous background interrupted.
16 (a) forgot / left – Two completed actions in sequence.
17 (b) was sleeping / went – Ongoing action interrupted by alarm.
18 (a) hurt / was running – Sudden accident + ongoing action.
19 (b) were sitting / heard – Continuous background + completed event.
20 (a) didn’t go / was – Past Simple negative + state verb.
21 (b) was painting / was listening – Two parallel ongoing actions.
22 (a) were watching / came – Continuous action interrupted.
23 (a) fell / was reading – Sudden event + ongoing action.
24 (a) didn’t see / was looking – Past Simple completed + Past Continuous ongoing.
25 (b) were waiting / started – Background interrupted by sudden event.
26 (a) cleaned – Completed action yesterday.
27 (b) were having / arrived – Ongoing action interrupted.
28 (a) watched – Completed action last night.
29 (b) were playing / entered – Background interrupted by Past Simple.
30 (a) heard / was walking – Completed action + background action.