Simple past or past progressive

1. Choose the correct option.

a. What did you do / were you doing this time yesterday? I worked / was working
on the computer.
b. It suddenly began / was beginning to rain while Laura sat / was sitting in the
garden.
c. Sam took / was taking a photograph of me while I didn’t look / wasn’t looking.
d. When I saw / was seeing them, they tried / were trying to find a new house near
their work.
e. I walked / was walking along the street when I suddenly felt / was feeling
something hit me in the back. I didn’t know / wasn’t knowing what it was.
f. Last night I dropped / was dropping a plate when I did / was doing the washing
up. Fortunately, it didn’t break / wasn’t breaking.

2. Put the verbs into the correct form, the Past Progressive or Simple Past.

a. When I last (see) _____________ them, they (try) _________________ to find

a new flat near the office.
b. I (walk) ______________ along the street when I suddenly (feel)____________
something hit me in the back.
c. When we (drive) ______________ down the hill, a strange object (appear)
____________ in the sky.
d. How fast (she/drive) ________________ when the accident (happen)
____________?
e. My mother (wait) ________________ for me when I (come) _____________
home.
f. Mrs. Smith (invite) _______________ Mrs. Quyen to have dinner while Mrs.
Quyen (visit) ______________ the USA.
g. I (not want) _______________ to go with him because I (wait) ____________
for a phone call.
h. The doorbell (ring) ______________ while Tom (watch) _______________ TV.
i. It suddenly (begin) ________________ to rain while Linda (sit)
________________ in the garden.
j. The lights (go) ______________ out while we (have) _______________ dinner.
k. Last night I (read) ______________ when suddenly I (hear) ________________
a shout.
l. The postman (come) ______________ while I (have) ______________lunch.
m. When we (go) _____________ out, it (rain) _____________________.
n. (you/watch) _______________ TV when I (phone) _______________you?
o. We (meet) ________________Ann at the party yesterday, she (wear)
_____________ a lovely white dress.
p. The boys (break) ________________ the window while they (play)
_____________ football.
q. I was home late, but my friends (wait) ________________ when I (arrive)
_____________.
r. He said that he (not drive) ________________ fast when the accident
(happen) _______________.
s. Tom (fall) ______________off the ladder while he (paint) ______________the
ceiling.
t. What (you/do) _____________________ at this time yesterday.