Past simple and past continuous

1. I _________ (go) to the shops yesterday and _________(buy) a pair of

shoes.
2. At 3:30 yesterday afternoon I _____________(sit) in the dentists chair having a
filling.
3. We ______________ (watch) television last night when there was a power cut and all
the lights ________ (go) out.
4. He ________ (ask) me to marry him and I immediately _________ (say) yes!
5. As Sue ___________ (drive) to work she ______(go) through a red traffic light and
was stopped by the police. She _______ (have) to pay a lot of money.
6. While the firemen ______________ (try) to put the fire out, the flames __________
(grow) stronger and stronger.
7. This time last year we _______________ (study) in the south of France.
8. They ____________ (wait) an hour for the train to arrive. When it _________ (arrive)
they quickly _________ (find) a non-smoking compartment and _________ (make)
themselves comfortable.
9. The cat _____________ (sit)on the mat when a mouse ________ (run) past it. The cat
_________ (pounce) but ____________ (not catch) it.
10. While I ______________ (write) this letter to you, the children
__________________ (play) hide and seek in the garden.
11. Dad _______ (get up) late yesterday and the ________ (miss) his bus. He ____ (be)
very angry with himself.
12. As the audience _________________ (wait) for the play to start, a lady
____________ (sell) ice creams at the front of the theatre.
13. At 6:00 yesterday evening I ______ (get) a phone call from my old boss.
14. Joe _____________ (help) his father change the wheel on the car while
Jenny ______________(milk) the cows in the cow shed with Uncle Tom.
15. Last Christmas we _______ (see) a good film on television. Clint Eastwood _____(be)
one of the actors.
16. Hundreds of people ________________ (swim) in the sea at the beach when the shark
alarm ____________ (go off). Everyone ________ (rush) out of the water screaming.
17. As we _____________ (play) chess, our new puppy _________ (jump) on the table and
___________ (knock) all the pieces onto the floor!
18. We ________________ (walk) down the road when, all of a sudden, we ________
(bump) into an old school friend we hadnt seen for almost twenty years!
19. Mr Brown ______________ (drive) home from work when he _________
(crash) into a tree. The driver behind him _________ (help) him and ______
(take) him to hospital.
20. We _______________ (sit) in our exam while the sun _______________
(shine) and the birds ________________ (sing) outside. It _________ (not be) very
fair!

Answer Key
1) I went to the shops yesterday and bought a pair of shoes.
2) At 3:30 yesterday afternoon I was sitting in the dentists chair having a filling.
3) We were watching television last night when there was a power cut and all the lights went
out.
4) He asked me to marry him and I immediately said yes!
5) As Sue was driving to work she went through a red traffic light and was stopped by the
police. She had to pay a lot of money.
6) While the firemen were trying to put the fire out, the flames were growing stronger and
stronger.
7) This time last year we were studying in the south of France.
8) They waited an hour for the train to arrive. When it arrived they quickly found a non-
smoking compartment and made themselves comfortable.
9) The cat was sitting on the mat when a mouse ran past. The cat pounced but did not catch
it.
10) While I was writing this letter to you, the children were playing hide and seek in the
garden.
11) Dad got up late yesterday and the missed his bus. He was very angry with himself.
12) As the audience was waiting for the play to start, a lady was selling ice creams at the
front of the theatre.
13) At 6:00 yesterday evening I got a phone call from my old boss.
14) Joe was helping his father change the wheel on the car while Jenny was milking the cows
in the cow shed with Uncle Tom.
15) Last Christmas we saw a good film on television. Clint Eastwood was one of the actors.
16) Hundreds of people were swimming in the sea at the beach when the shark alarm went
off. Everyone rushed out of the water screaming.
17) As we were playing chess, our new puppy jumped on the table and knocked all the pieces
onto the floor!
18) We were walking down the road when, all of a sudden, we bumped into an old school
friend we hadnt seen for almost twenty years!
19) Mr Brown was driving home from work when he crashed into a tree. The driver behind
him helped him and took him to hospital.
20)We were sitting in the hall doing our exam while the sun was shining and the birds were
singing outside. It wasnt very fair!