PAST SIMPLE /VS/ PAST CONTINUOUS

Form

Simple Past Past Progressive

irregular verbs: see 2nd column of irregular verbs past form of 'be' + ing form of verb
I spoke I was speaking
regular verbs: verb + ed you were speaking
he / she / it was speaking
I worked
we were speaking
they were speaking

Exceptions
Exceptions when adding 'ed' : Exceptions when adding 'ing' :
when the final letter is e, only add d. silent e is dropped (but: does not apply for -ee)
Example: love - loved Example: come - coming
after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant but: agree - agreeing
is doubled after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant
Example: admit - admitted is doubled
final l is always doubled in British English (not in Example: sit - sitting
American English) final l is always doubled in British English (not in
Example: travel - travelled American English)
after a consonant, final y becomes i. (but: not Example: travel - travelling
after a vowel) final ie becomes y.
Example: worry - he worried Example: lie - lying
but: play - he played

Exercise 1 Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. While Tom (read)………………………., Amely (watch) …………………………. a documentary on TV.
2. Marvin (come) …………………….home, (switch) ………………………on the computer and (check)
…………………………………..his emails.
3. The thief (sneak) ………………………….into the house, (steal) ……………………….the jewels and
(leave) ……………………………….without a trace.
4. Nobody (listen) ……………………………while the teacher (explain)
……………………………………….the tenses.
5. While we (do) ………………………………a sight-seeing tour, our friends (lie)
……………………………………..on the beach.
6. He (wake) ……………………………..up and (look) ………………………………. at his watch.

Exercise 2 Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. The receptionist (welcome) ……………………………..the guests and (ask)
………………………………….them to fill in the form.
2. The car (break) ………………………………. down and we (have) ……………………………………to
walk home.
3. The boys (swim) …………………………….while the girls (sunbathe) ……………...
4. My father (come) ………………………………..in, (look) ………………….. around and (tell)
………………………………….me to tidy up my room.
5. As long as one group (prepare) ……………………………dinner, the others (collect)
…………………………………….wood for their campfire.
6. While the parents (have) …………………………..breakfast, their children (run)
……………………………..about.
7. Martha (turn) ……………………………off the lights and (go) ………………to bed.

Exercise 3. Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. We (wait) ……………………………. for Jane, when suddenly Louis (come)
……………………………………..around the corner.
2. I (cycle) ………………………….. through the park when I (hear) …………………………. a strange noise.
3. He (pass) ………………………….her a message when the teacher (look / not)
…………………………………………...
4. I (fall) …………………………asleep while I (watch) …………………TV last night.
5. While Mike and Jane (paint) ……………………………. the walls, their dog (knock)
………………………………………..over the paint pot.
6. Tom (break) ………………….his leg when he (play) …………………………. frisbee.
7. The phone (ring) ……………………..when I (sit) …………………on the toilet.

Exercise 4

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1. I (jog) …………………………….in the park, when two squirrels (cross) ………………………………….

my way.
2. Robert (fall) ………………………..off the ladder when he (pick) …………………………………cherries.
3. Archimedes (discover) ………………………. the theory of buoyancy while he (take)
…………………………………….a bath.
4. While we (travel) …………………………..………around Ireland, we (meet) ………………………. some
very nice people.
5. While she (speak) ………………………. on the phone, the milk (boil) ………… over.
6. When I (leave) …………………. the house this morning, the sun (shine) ………………...
7. Caroline (burn) ………………. her hand when she (iron) …………………….….. her clothes.

Exercise 5

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1. Two days ago, a murder (happen) ……….……..in Market Street at about seven pm.
2. Yesterday, Sherlock Holmes (arrive) ……………..at the crime scene to investigate.
3. He (ask) ……………………………………………one of the tenants in the house.
4. ‘What (do / you) …………………………….……………yesterday at seven?«’
5. ‘I (watch) ………………………………….……………..a football match on TV.’
6. ‘ (be) …………………………………………………………………you alone?’
7. ‘Yes, I (be)………………………………………………..……………………..’
8. ‘ (hear / you) ……………………….……………………anything suspicious?’
9. ‘Yes, about seven o'clock, two people (argue) ………………………………….in the hallway. But the
football match (be) ……………………………so interesting. So, I just (turn) …………………………… up
the telly and then (hear / not) ………………………. anything anymore.’

Exercise 6

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1. A: »What (do / you) …………………………………………yesterday at 8 pm?«

2. B: »I (sit) ……………………………………………in the pub with Sam. Why?«
3. A: »I (drive) ……………….………………to the sports centre at that time to play squash with a few friends.
As we (be) ………………………………only three players, I (try) ………………………………..to ring you
to ask if you would like to come as well. But I (reach / not) …………………………………you at home.«
4. B: »Why (ring / not / you) ………………………………………..my mobile?«
5. A: »I actually (want) ………………………….to ring your mobile, but by accident I (dial)
……………………. William's number. He (do / not) …………………………… anything special at that
moment and really (like) …………………………the idea of playing squash with us.«

Exercise 7
ex07 0
Put the verbs into the correct tense (simple past or past progressive).

1. When I (do) the washing-up, I (break) a plate.

2. While Tom (play) the piano, his mother (do) the washing-up.

3. He (drink) some juice and then he (eat) a few chips.

4. I (have) dinner when I suddenly (hear) a loud bang.

5. When my father (work) in the garden, an old friend (pass) by to see him.

6. She (go) to school, (take) out her textbook and (begin) to learn.

7. When it (start) to rain, our dog (want) to come inside.

8. When Jane (do) a language course in Ireland, she (visit) Blarney Castle.

9. When I (be) on my way home, I (see) an accident.

10. I (not / understand) what they (talk) about.

Exercise 8

Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1. When I (get) …………………up yesterday, the sun (shine)…………………...

2. It (be) ………………………..a beautiful morning.
3. So I (decide) ………………………………to cycle around a little.
4. I (go) ………………………..to the shed and (take) …………………….out my bike.
5. While I (cycle) ………………………..past some villages, I (see) ……………….. some people in their
gardens.
6. One man (mow) …………………..……………..the grass while his wife (pick)
………………………………………… strawberries.
7. After one hour of cycling in sunshine, a big fat raincloud suddenly (appear) ………………………….and it
(start) …………………………….to rain.
8. Luckily, a farmer (notice) …………………me and (tell) ……………….me to come in.
9. While it (rain) ………………………. outside, I (sit) …………………………in the farmer's house.
10. After a while, the sun (come) ………………………..out again.
11. I (thank) …………………….the farmer for his hospitality and (move) ……………. on.