Past Simple or Past Continuous

Use the Past Simple and the Past Continuous to

make sentences from the words in brackets ( ).
~

(The police/arrive/while/I/have/breakfast)
The police arrived while I was having breakfast.
1
(The storm/start/while/they/drive/home)

2
(I/see/an accident/while/l/wait/for the bus)

3
(Mary/go/to several concerts/while/she/stay/in London)

~
(l/have/breakfast/when/the police/arrive)
I was having breakfast when the police arrived.
4
(My father/cook/the dinner/when/he/burn/his fingers)

5
(The
soldiers/prepare/to
leave/when/the
bomb/explode)

Coe, Norman, Mark Harrison, Ken Paterson. 2006. Oxford Practice

Grammar: Basic. Oxford: OUP, 26.

Complete these texts using the Past Simple or the

Past Continuous of the verbs in brackets ( ).
~
1

Beethoven wrote (write) nine symphonies; he was

writing (write) another symphony when he died.
Last Saturday Tom wanted to make two salads. He
(make) the first one in five minutes. He
(make) the second one when his guests (arrive),
and they (help) him to finish it.
The artist Gaudi (design) several houses in
Barcelona, Spain. Later he (start) work on a
church. He (work) on the church when he
(die).
Last month a bank robber (escape) while the
police (take) him to prison. Later they
(catch) him again, and this time they (lock) him
up without any problem.

4
5

Philip's football team were lucky last Saturday. After

twenty minutes they (lose), but in the end they
(win) the game by four goals to two.
John Lennon (sing) and (play) on many
records with the Beatles. After that he (record)
several songs without the Beatles. He (prepare) a
new record when Mark Chapman (shoot) him.
The evening was getting darker; the street lights
(come) on. People (hurry) home after work. I
(stand) in a queue at the bus stop. Suddenly
somebody (grab) my bag.

Coe, Norman, Mark Harrison, Ken Paterson. 2006. Oxford Practice

Grammar: Basic. Oxford: OUP, 27.

A policewoman is interviewing Hilary Croft about last

Friday evening. Look at the pictures and complete
the conversation. Use the Past Simple or the Past
Continuous of the words in brackets ( ).

Policewoman:
from work?
Mary:
Policewoman:
home?
Mary:
Policewoman:
the paper?
Mary:
Policewoman:

What time (~) did you get (you/get) home

At about six o'clock.
And what (1) (you/do) after you got
I read the newspaper.
Did anything happen while (2) (read)

Yes, the phone (3) (ring).

What (4) (you/do) when your husband
came home?
Mary:
I was watching TV, and I (5) (drink) a
cup of coffee.
Policewoman: Did you and your husband stay at home?
Mary:
No, 1 (6) (drink) my coffee. Then I put
on my raincoat, and we (7) (go) out at seven
o'clock.
Policewoman: Why (8) (you/put) your raincoat on?

Mary:

Because it (9) (rain), of course.

Coe, Norman, Mark Harrison, Ken Paterson. 2006. Oxford Practice

Grammar: Basic. Oxford: OUP, 27

Look at the pictures and write the sentences. Use

the past simple and past continuous.

1
They were playing golf when it started to rain. (play,
start)
2
His mobile when he . (ring, drive)
3
We the news when we in Corsica. (hear,
sunbathe)
4
He at the tower when someone his bag.
(look, take)
5
I a coffee when I her. (have, see)
6
She an accident when she to the shops.
(see, walk)
Oxenden, Clive et al. 2005. New English File: Pre-intermediate
Teachers Book. Oxford: OUP, 144.

Complete the story with the past simple or past

continuous of the verbs in brackets.

When Alex Jones (1)

arrived at JFK International airport

she (2) (look) around but she (3) (not see)
anybody there to meet her. A lot of people (4) (hold)
cards with names on them, but they (5) (not wait)
for her. She (6) (not know) what to do, but it (7)
(be) a beautiful, sunny day so she (8) (decide)
to go to the hotel on her own. She (9) (go) outside
and (10) (look) for a taxi. A lot of people (11)
(wait) so she (12) (catch) the airport bus into New
York. The bus (13) (stop) in Manhattan, quite near
her hotel, and she (14) (get) off. She (15)
(walk) into the hotel and (16) (give) her name,
Alexandra Jones. She (17) (talk) to the hotel
receptionist when suddenly a man (18) (run) up to
her. He (19) (carry) a card which (20) (say) 'Mr
Jones'. 'Ms Jones? I'm terribly sorry! I (21) (wait) for
you at the airport but I (22) (think) you (23)
(be) a man!' 'That's OK; (24) (say) Alex. 'It happens
to me all the time!'
Oxenden, Clive et al. 2005. New English File: Pre-intermediate
Teachers Book. Oxford: OUP, 144.