Past continuous tense – English Grammar Test for A2
Grammar » Grammar Test for A2 » Past continuous tense - English Grammar Test for A2
(a) was cooking / rang
(b) cooked / was ringing
(c) was cooking / was ringing
2 They ___ (play) football when it suddenly ___ (start) to rain.
(a) played / was starting
(b) were playing / started
(c) was playing / started
3 I ___ (watch) TV when my mother ___ (come) home.
(a) was watching / came
(b) watched / was coming
(c) was watching / was coming
4 My father ___ (read) a newspaper while my mother ___ (cook) dinner.
(a) was reading / was cooking
(b) read / cooked
(c) was reading / cooked
5 The children ___ (play) in the garden when their teacher ___ (arrive).
(a) were playing / arrived
(b) played / was arriving
(c) were playing / was arriving
6 While I ___ (study), my brother ___ (listen) to music.
(a) studied / listened
(b) was studying / was listening
(c) was studying / listened
7 At 8 p.m. yesterday, we ___ (have) dinner when my uncle ___ (call).
(a) had / was calling
(b) were having / called
(c) was having / called
8 She ___ (prepare) for the exam all night, but she ___ (fall) asleep at 3 a.m.
(a) prepared / was falling
(b) was preparing / fell
(c) was preparing / was falling
9 They ___ (walk) to school when they ___ (meet) their friends.
(a) were walking / met
(b) walked / were meeting
(c) were walking / were meeting
10 I ___ (talk) on the phone when the electricity ___ (go) off.
(a) talked / went
(b) was talking / went
(c) was talking / was going
11 He ___ (do) his homework when his friend ___ (come) to visit.
(a) was doing / came
(b) did / was coming
(c) was doing / was coming
12 We ___ (walk) in the park when it suddenly ___ (rain).
(a) were walking / rained
(b) walked / was raining
(c) were walking / was raining
13 She ___ (wear) a red dress when I ___ (see) her yesterday.
(a) was wearing / saw
(b) wore / was seeing
(c) was wearing / was seeing
14 They ___ (study) in the library when the fire alarm ___ (go) off.
(a) studied / was going
(b) were studying / went
(c) were studying / was going
15 The dog ___ (run) in the yard when I ___ (get) home.
(a) was running / got
(b) ran / was getting
(c) was running / was getting
16 At midnight, I ___ (read) in bed when I ___ (hear) a strange noise.
(a) read / was hearing
(b) was reading / heard
(c) was reading / was hearing
17 The teacher ___ (explain) the lesson when the bell ___ (ring).
(a) was explaining / rang
(b) explained / was ringing
(c) was explaining / was ringing
18 We ___ (eat) dinner when the lights ___ (go) out.
(a) were eating / went
(b) ate / was going
(c) were eating / was going
19 She ___ (listen) to music when her phone ___ (ring).
(a) listened / was ringing
(b) was listening / rang
(c) was listening / was ringing
20 At that time, my friends ___ (watch) a football match when I ___ (arrive).
(a) were watching / arrived
(b) watched / was arriving
(c) were watching / was arriving
21 I ___ (go) to work when I ___ (meet) my old friend.
(a) was going / met
(b) went / was meeting
(c) was going / was meeting
22 They ___ (study) English when the teacher ___ (enter) the classroom.
(a) studied / was entering
(b) were studying / entered
(c) were studying / was entering
23 The sun ___ (shine) when we ___ (leave) the house.
(a) was shining / left
(b) shone / was leaving
(c) was shining / was leaving
24 At 2 a.m., he ___ (write) an email when his laptop ___ (crash).
(a) wrote / was crashing
(b) was writing / crashed
(c) was writing / was crashing
25 I ___ (eat) a sandwich when my sister ___ (come) home.
(a) was eating / came
(b) ate / was coming
(c) was eating / was coming
26 We ___ (talk) about our holiday plans when the phone ___ (ring).
(a) talked / was ringing
(b) were talking / rang
(c) were talking / was ringing
27 She ___ (sit) in the library when her friend ___ (call) her.
(a) sat / was calling
(b) was sitting / called
(c) was sitting / was calling
28 They ___ (wait) for the bus when it suddenly ___ (start) to rain.
(a) waited / was starting
(b) were waiting / started
(c) were waiting / was starting
29 The baby ___ (sleep) when her mother ___ (come) home.
(a) was sleeping / came
(b) slept / was coming
(c) was sleeping / was coming
30 He ___ (write) a letter when his pen ___ (break).
(a) was writing / broke
(b) wrote / was breaking
(c) was writing / was breaking
Answer
1 (a) was cooking / rang – Continuous action interrupted by Past Simple.
2 (b) were playing / started – Past Continuous + Past Simple event.
3 (a) was watching / came – Ongoing action interrupted.
4 (a) was reading / was cooking – Two actions in progress.
5 (a) were playing / arrived – Ongoing action + completed action.
6 (b) was studying / was listening – Two parallel actions.
7 (b) were having / called – Past Continuous + Past Simple.
8 (b) was preparing / fell – Long action, interrupted by short action.
9 (a) were walking / met – Ongoing background + completed meeting.
10 (b) was talking / went – Interrupted action.
11 (a) was doing / came – Ongoing action, then completed action.
12 (a) were walking / rained – Sudden Past Simple action interrupts.
13 (a) was wearing / saw – Past Continuous for description + Past Simple.
14 (b) were studying / went – Interrupted by Past Simple.
15 (a) was running / got – Past Continuous + Past Simple.
16 (b) was reading / heard – Ongoing action interrupted.
17 (a) was explaining / rang – Past Continuous + Past Simple.
18 (a) were eating / went – Interrupted by Past Simple.
19 (b) was listening / rang – Ongoing action + short action.
20 (a) were watching / arrived – Long action, then completed action.
21 (a) was going / met – Ongoing action interrupted.
22 (b) were studying / entered – Continuous action + completed action.
23 (a) was shining / left – Background action + Past Simple.
24 (b) was writing / crashed – Continuous action + sudden event.
25 (a) was eating / came – Ongoing + short completed action.
26 (b) were talking / rang – Ongoing action + Past Simple.
27 (b) was sitting / called – Continuous action + completed action.
28 (b) were waiting / started – Ongoing background + sudden event.
29 (a) was sleeping / came – Ongoing action + short completed action.
30 (a) was writing / broke – Continuous action + sudden Past Simple.