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) watched
(b) was watching
(c) watch
2 While she … dinner, the doorbell rang.
(a) cooked
(b) was cooking
(c) cooks
3 They … football yesterday afternoon.
(a) played
(b) were playing
(c) play
4 I … the window when it started to rain.
(a) opened
(b) was opening
(c) opens
5 At 8 o’clock last night, I … my homework.
(a) did
(b) was doing
(c) do
6 When we arrived, they … lunch.
(a) were having
(b) had
(c) have
7 While I … for the bus, I met an old friend.
(a) waited
(b) was waiting
(c) wait
8 She … asleep when the alarm went off.
(a) was falling
(b) fell
(c) falls
9 They … a film when the lights went out.
(a) watched
(b) were watching
(c) watch
10 We … to school when we saw the accident.
(a) were walking
(b) walked
(c) walk
11 While my mum …, I cleaned my room.
(a) cooked
(b) was cooking
(c) cooks
12 He … his leg while he was playing football.
(a) broke
(b) was breaking
(c) break
13 At 9 p.m. yesterday, they … a party.
(a) had
(b) were having
(c) have
14 I … a book when my friend called.
(a) read
(b) was reading
(c) reads
15 While they … TV, their cat broke a vase.
(a) were watching
(b) watched
(c) watch
16 She … her keys while she was running to the bus.
(a) lost
(b) was losing
(c) loses
17 We … in the park when it started to rain.
(a) walked
(b) were walking
(c) walk
18 He … his homework when his mother came.
(a) was doing
(b) did
(c) does
19 While she … the piano, her brother was singing.
(a) played
(b) was playing
(c) plays
20 I … the news on TV last night.
(a) watched
(b) was watching
(c) watch
21 At 10 o’clock yesterday, I … in bed.
(a) lay
(b) was lying
(c) lies
22 She … in London last year.
(a) lived
(b) was living
(c) lives
23 While I … a shower, someone knocked at the door.
(a) took
(b) was taking
(c) take
24 He … his wallet while he was shopping.
(a) lost
(b) was losing
(c) loses
25 They … chess when I visited them.
(a) were playing
(b) played
(c) play
26 We … at the café when the rain started.
(a) sat
(b) were sitting
(c) sit
27 While my dad … the car, I washed the windows.
(a) repaired
(b) was repairing
(c) repairs
28 The teacher … the lesson when the fire alarm rang.
(a) explained
(b) was explaining
(c) explains
29 I … my ankle while I was running yesterday.
(a) twisted
(b) was twisting
(c) twists
30 While the children … in the garden, their mother was cooking.
(a) played
(b) were playing
(c) play
Answer
1 (b) was watching – Past Continuous for background action interrupted by Past Simple.
2 (b) was cooking – Longer action interrupted by the doorbell.
3 (a) played – Past Simple for a completed event yesterday.
4 (b) was opening – Action in progress interrupted by rain.
5 (b) was doing – Ongoing action at a specific time in the past.
6 (a) were having – Ongoing action when we arrived.
7 (b) was waiting – Past Continuous for the background action.
8 (b) fell – Past Simple for a sudden action.
9 (b) were watching – Ongoing action when the lights went out.
10 (a) were walking – Past Continuous shows background when accident happened.
11 (b) was cooking – Background action while another action happened.
12 (a) broke – Past Simple for a single completed event.
13 (b) were having – Ongoing action at 9 p.m. yesterday.
14 (b) was reading – Ongoing action when another event happened.
15 (a) were watching – Past Continuous for longer action interrupted.
16 (a) lost – Sudden completed action → Past Simple.
17 (b) were walking – Background activity when rain started.
18 (a) was doing – Ongoing action interrupted by “came”.
19 (b) was playing – Ongoing action happening at the same time as another.
20 (a) watched – Past Simple for finished action last night.
21 (b) was lying – Ongoing action at a specific time.
22 (a) lived – Completed state in the past.
23 (b) was taking – Ongoing action interrupted.
24 (a) lost – Past Simple for a completed sudden event.
25 (a) were playing – Ongoing action when another happened.
26 (b) were sitting – Continuous action when rain started.
27 (b) was repairing – Background action while another action happened.
28 (b) was explaining – Ongoing action interrupted by Past Simple.
29 (a) twisted – Past Simple sudden event.
30 (b) were playing – Past Continuous for parallel background action.