Simple Past vs. Past Progressive

USE

We use the simple past to talk about completed actions in the past.

Justin broke his leg.

They didn't find their luggage at the airport.

Did they go to India last year?

Irregular verbs

Some verbs are irregular. That means that the pronunciation and spelling in past are different. These verbs have to be memorized.

Negative form

To form the negative, we need to use the auxiliary did not or the contraction didn't. When we use the auxiliary, the verb is always is base form. The auxiliary didn't is the same for all persons.

I didn't do

You didn't work

He didn't play

We didn't give

They didn't live

Past Progressive

Activities

Multiple Choice

I ………………… (watch) the match on TV when the phone …………………… (ring).

• was watching , rang

• were watching , rang

• watched , was ringing

• watched , were ringing

Multiple Choice

^{We ……………… (meet) some interesting people while we …………………… (stay) in Paris.}

• was meeting , stayed

• were meeting , stayed

• met , were staying

• meet , were staying

Multiple Choice

Yesterday, my uncle ………………… (tell) us a story while he ………………… (drive) us to school.

• told , was driving

• told , drove

• was telling , was driving

• was telling , drove

Multiple Choice

I …………………… (finish) my homework, ………………… (listen) to some music, and then I …………………… (go) to bed.

• was finishing , listened , went

• finished, listened, went

• finished , listened , was going

• was finishing , was listening , went

Multiple Choice

As we …………………… (walk) in the park. It …………………… (start) to rain.

• walked , started

• walked , was starting

• were walking , was starting

• were walking , started

Multiple Choice

I .................... (watch) the TV when my mother .................. (turn) it off.

• was watching , turned

• were watching , turnt

• watched , turned

• was watching , was turning

Multiple Choice

They ................... (talk) on the phone when the boss................ (arrive) at the office.

• talked , arrived

• was talking , arrived

• were talking , arrived

• were talking , was arriving

Multiple Choice

The snow .............. (cover) the mountains when I............. (wake) up.

• was covering , was waking

• covered , waked

• coved , was waking

• was covering , woke

Multiple Choice

James .............. (play) bingo when the lights ................ (go) out.

• were playing , went

• was playing , went

• played , went

• were playing , were going

Multiple Choice

I ................ (have) a beautiful dream when the alarm clock ..................... (ring).

• had , rang

• was having , was ringing

• was having , rang

• had , was ringing

Multiple Choice

As we ................. (walk)to school, we ................ (see) a big elephant.

• walked , saw

• were walking , were seeing

• were walking , saw

• walked , were seeing

Multiple Choice

While my younger brother................ (play) computer games, I ............ (do) my homework.

• was playing , was doing

• was playing , did

• played , did

• play , was doing

Multiple Choice

The thief.................. (jump) out of the house , ................ (see) a police and .................... (run) away.

• jumped , saw , ran

• was jumping , seeing , ran

• was jumping , seeing , running

• jumped , saw and was running

Multiple Choice

....................... at 3.00 yesterday afternoon?

• Was you sleeping

• Were you sleeping

• Did you sleep

• Do you sleep

Multiple Choice

I ................. some amazing costumes at the carnival.

• saw

• see

• was seeing

• were seeing

Multiple Choice

I ............ Paul at the library yesterday.

• meet

• met

• was meeting

• were meeting

Multiple Choice

Last night at 1 a.m. I ..........still..............at the party.

• was , running

• was , praying

• was , dancing

• was , wearing

Multiple Choice

While I.................... to music , they ..................... television.

• listened , were washing

• listened , watched

• was listening , were watching

• was listening , were washing

Multiple Choice

Yesterday, who ........... you ............ for while you were working?

• were , looking

• was , looking

• did , look

• do , looked

Multiple Choice

Annie..... to the cinema five minutes ago.

• walk

• walks

• walked

• walking

Multiple Choice

The students ____ _____ very loudly when Pn Ooi came.

• are talk

• are talking

• was talk

• were talking

Multiple Choice

Marcos .... when he .... a worm in his apple.

• was eating, found

• was eating, finded

• were eating, were finding

• ate, was finding

Multiple Choice

We ..... when Ms. Tan .... the answer.

• was studying, said

• were studying, said

• studied, said

• studied, sayed

Multiple Choice

While I ....... the quiz, Mr. Khor ...... to me.

• made, spoke

• made, was speaking

• was making, speaked

• was making, spoke

Multiple Choice

Why ____ you listening when the manager told you what to do?

• was

• wasn't

• weren't

• aren't

Multiple Choice

When the taxi arrived, the friends ____ ____ goodbye.

• was say

• were saying

• were say

• was saying

Multiple Choice

I .... water while you ..... 7 Up.

• drank, were drinking

• was drinking, were drinking

• drank, drank

• was drinking, drank

Multiple Choice

While they .... in art class, the paint .... out (finished).

• were painting, ranned

• were painting, run

• were painting, ran

• was painting, ran

Multiple Choice

When they .... on math homework, they ... their grades.

• were working, saw

• were working, seed

• were working, seied

• worked, saw

Multiple Choice

When my mum ... dinner, she ... her hand.

• cooked, cut

• was cooking, was cutting

• cooked, cutted

• was cooking, cut

Multiple Choice

While Siti ..., the librarian ... off the light.

• was readding, turned

• was reading, turned

• was reading, turnt

• read, turned

Multiple Choice

When the police ...., the thief ..... away.

• was arriving, ran

• arrived, was running

• arrived, was runing

• were arriving, ran

Multiple Choice

Alvin Than ... while his brother ....

• was singing, slept.

• was singing, sleeped.

• sang, was sleeping.

• singed, was sleeping.

Multiple Choice

What ____ you ____ when the accident happened?

• are, do

• are, doing

• was, do

• were, doing

Multiple Choice

My grandmother __________ some cookies for us yesterday.

• climbed

• baked

• ate

• cried

Multiple Choice

______ you _______ the dishes by yourself last night?

• Did ... wash

• Did ... washed

• Do ... wash

• Do ... washed

Multiple Choice

My childhood ________ happy and I would like to share about it.

• is

• are

• were

• was

Multiple Choice

What did you buy at the supermarket?

• We bought apples.

• I did buy apples.

• I didn't bought anything.

• I don't like to buy apples.

Multiple Select

Sofia ........ a newspaper when somebody ..... on the door

• read, knock

• read, knocked

• was reading, knocked

• is reading, is knocking

• was reading, was knocking

Multiple Select

The worker ...... the ladder while he ...... the roof

• fall off, repair

• fell off, repaired

• fell off, was repaired

• fell off, was repairing

• was falling off, was repairing

Multiple Select

.........the TV when I ..........you last night ?

• Do you watch - phone

• Did you watch - phoned

• were you watching - was phoning

• were you watching - phoned

• are you watching - am phonig

Multiple Select

The students ........ when the teacher .... ..

• are waiting - is arriving

• were waiting - was waiting

• waited - arrived

• were waiting - arrived

• waited - was arriving

Multiple Select

What ...... from 9 0'clock to 10 o'clock last night ?

• did you do

• do you do

• are you doing

• were you doing

• were you done

Multiple Select

Father ....... a bowl while he ...... dinner

• broken - cooks

• broke - cooked

• was breaking - cooked

• broken - was cooking

• broke - was cooking

Multiple Select

We ......... a loud noise when we .......... books in the library

• herd - read

• heard - read

• heard - were reading

• were hearing - were reading

• were hearing - read

Multiple Select

Ani : I ....... Susanna in the party last night

Roma : Me too . She ......... a beautiful pink dress

• seen - wear

• saw - was wearing

• was seeing - was wearing

• was seeing - worn

• saw - worn

Multiple Select

She ............. our picture while we .............

• took - we didn't look

• was taking - were not looking

• took - were not looking

• was taking - looked

• taken - looked

Multiple Select

............... your old friend when you .......... the party ?

• did you meet - were having

• were you meeting - were having

• do you meet - have

• are you meeting - had

• were you met - are having

Multiple Choice

Elizabeth _____ when she _____ the plate.

• was running / dropped

• ran / dropped

• was running / was dropping

• ran / was dropping

Multiple Choice

MY father was watching TV ... My mother was cooking a meal last night

• when

• while

• but

• or