Past progressive & Past simple

I ......................... the match at 10:15 last night.

• watched

• was watching

• am watching

• have watched

Answer explanation

I was in the middle of the action at a certain time.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1D

CCSS.L.4.1B

CCSS.L.5.1.B-D

CCSS.L.5.1C

CCSS.L.5.1D

Kenzy was reading a story when we ................... home.

• arrive

• were arriving

• arrived

• arriving

Answer explanation

A shorter action interrupts a longer one.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1D

CCSS.L.4.1B

CCSS.L.5.1.B-D

CCSS.L.5.1C

CCSS.L.5.1D

I was going home when I saw Ali. So I ...................., and we had a chat.

• stopped

• was stopping

• stop

• have stopped

Answer explanation

Past simple is used to express an action after another.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1D

CCSS.L.4.1B

CCSS.L.5.1.B-D

CCSS.L.5.1C

CCSS.L.5.1D

While my mother was cooking, my father ..................... the paper.

• read

• is reading

• reads

• was reading

Answer explanation

Two actions happening at the same time

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1D

CCSS.L.4.1B

CCSS.L.5.1.B-D

CCSS.L.5.1C

CCSS.L.5.1D

I saw my friend at the club yesterday. He .................. chess and having coffee.

• played

• was playing

• has played

• playing

Answer explanation

Both tenses are used to say that something happened in the middle of another.

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1D

CCSS.L.4.1B

CCSS.L.5.1.B-D

CCSS.L.5.1C

CCSS.L.5.1D

We were enjoying the match, but Sama ............... to go home.

• wanted

• was wanting

• wasn't wanting

• didn't want

Answer explanation

want can not be used in progressive form

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1D

CCSS.L.4.1B

CCSS.L.5.1.B-D

CCSS.L.5.1C

CCSS.L.5.1D

I was cleaning my room ................... I came across an old album.

• while

• during

• when

• as

Answer explanation

Only when is used before the shorter action "past simple"

Tags

CCSS.L.1.1G

CCSS.L.3.1H

CCSS.L.5.1A

CCSS.L.5.1E

....................... the match, I fell asleep.

• During

• While

• When

• As

Answer explanation

During is only used before a noun

Tags

CCSS.L.1.1G

CCSS.L.3.1H

CCSS.L.5.1A

CCSS.L.5.1E

While ...................... lunch, Hana got burnt.

• was cooking

• cooking

• cooked

• she cooking

Answer explanation

Verb + ing is used after while if you don't have a subject

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1E

CCSS.L.4.1B

CCSS.L.5.1.B-D

CCSS.L.5.1C

CCSS.L.5.1D

My daughter ..................... stories a lot when she was ill last month.

• was reading

• reads

• read

• has read

Answer explanation

Past simple is used to express "completed actions"

Tags

CCSS.L.3.1E

CCSS.L.4.1B

CCSS.L.5.1.B-D

CCSS.L.5.1C

CCSS.L.5.1D