Past Simple and Past Continuous

1. Put the verbs in brackets in the past simple or past continuous.

1. This morning, when the alarm clock (go)__________, I (have) ____________ a sweet dream.
2. Carol (meet) ___________ her husband while she (travel)__________ in Europe.
3. I (work) ____________ on my computer when there (be) ______________ a sudden power
cut and all my data (be) _____________ lost.
4. When we (share)_________ a room two years ago, Lin (always, take)____________ my
things without asking.
5. When Tom (call)_____________ yesterday, I (do)______________ the washing-up in the
kitchen so I (not hear)_____________ the phone.
6. Frank (constantly, ask)_____________________ for money last year when he
(be)______________ still out of work.
7. Mark (request)_________________ complete silence when he
(compose)________________ music.
8. In 1417, Nguyen Train (join)_________________ the army of Le Loi, who (then, lead)
________________ the resistance movement in the mountainous regions.

Define Articles and Indefinite Articles

2. Complete the gaps with the where necessary. If an article is not necessary, write a cross (X).
1. Here’s ___the__book you asked to borrow.
2. There are some reports on _the__ oil slick in ___the__ Mediterranean Sea. correct
3. Kangaroos are found only in __x___ Australia.
4. Angelina is working for a charitable organization that helps_x__the__ people with
disabilities.
5. Is __x___ United Arab Emirates part of __the___ South Asia or __the_ Middle East?
6. Last summer, we travelled to many places. We visited __x__ Taj Mahal in __x__ India,
climbed __x__ Mount Everest in _the__ Himalayas, and took a cruise to __x__ Bahamas.
7. I love ___x__ Spain. I find __the__ Spanish very friendly, but I can’t say much in __the__
Spanish.
8. My favourite pastime is playing __the__ guitar, but my best friend prefers playing __x__
tennis.

3. Complete the gaps with a/an when necessary or an a cross (X) if the article is not necessary.
1. There’s __a__ chance that she’ll win the competition again.
2. What _a__ nice weather! Let’s go for __a__ picnic.
3. I went to see __x__ Dr. Hoang yesterday because I had __a__ fever. She asked me to stay in
__x__ bed for two days.
4. My friend Callum is __a_ Scottish. On __x__ special occasions, he wears __a__ kilt and plays
the bagpipe.
5. I’m not talking about__x__ global warming, but traffic congestion. This is quite __x__
different problem in our city.
6. The teacher gave us _a__ test on __x__ indefinite articles yesterday. It wasn’t easy, I could
get __a__ good mark in the test.
 7. I like __x__ ice cream, but I’m not in the mood for __an__ ice cream now.
8. A: Let’s go for __x___ coffee.
B: No, thanks. I don’t drink __x_ coffee.

4. Read the following story and complete each gap with an article. Write a cross (X) if an article is
not necessary.
I had (1) __a__ very bad experience (2)__x__ last Sunday. I bought (3)__a___ flash drive from
(4)__the__ computer store in (5)_x__ local shopping centre. When I went back (6)__x__ home, I
inserted it into my computer, but it was not recognized. I took it back to (7)__the_ store, but
(8)_x_ store manager was very impolite. He pointed at (9)__a__ crack on (10)___the__ flash
drive, and said his store was not responsible for such (11)__x__ defect because it had probably
been caused by my carelessness. I couldn’t say (12)__a__ word, and had to buy another flash
drive.