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Worksheets

Past Continuous vs Past Simple

Total questions: 22

Worksheet time: 13mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

He was talking when the ball ________ him.

a)

hit

b)

was hitting

c)

were hitting

2.

She __________ breakfast and drank a lot of coffee this morning.

a)

ate

b)

was eating

c)

were eating

3.

He _________ dinner when the fire started.

a)

cooked

b)

was cooking

c)

were cooking

4.

Maggie ________ her horse when she hit the tree.

a)

rode

b)

were riding

c)

was riding

5.

Marie ____________ late yesterday morning, so she missed the first class.

a)

waked up

b)

woke up

c)

was waking up

6.

Victoria ___________ when the earthquake hit.

a)

shopped

b)

were shopping

c)

was shopping

7.

Choose ALL the characteristics of slavery.

a)

It is the practice of people owning other people.

b)

A slave has to work for their owner.

c)

Slaves work in terrible conditions.

d)

Slaves are free.

8.

Complete with the correct time tense:


Around 1808, the slave trade was prohibited in the north of the USA while people in the south (a)   (practice) it in secret.

9.

_________ the United States was fighting against slavery, Simón Bolívar was doing the same in Latin America.

a)

While

b)

When

10.

Complete with the correct time tense:


Peru and Argentina (a)   (create) a special law that prohibited slavery.

11.

Complete with the correct time tense:


Brazil was still promoting slavery while other countries (a)   (do) their best to abolish it.

12.

While Abraham Lincoln was still president, he ________ people to abolish slavery.

a)

inspired

b)

was inspiring

c)

inspires

d)

were inspiring

13.

Teams got me out _______ I was taking English class.

a)

while

b)

when

14.

Mexico _________ better conditions for slaves while the United States was still trading slaves.

a)

was creating

b)

were creating

c)

created

d)

create

15.

In 1865, Abraham Lincoln ______ (make) slavery illegal.

a)

made

b)

was making

c)

were making

16.

While the northern states ________ (fight) against slavery, southern states were still trading slaves.

a)

was fighting

b)

were fighting

c)

fought

17.

After the Mexican Independence, the country’s economy __________ (improve) when the war ended.

a)

didn't improved

b)

wasn't improved

c)

wasn't improving

d)

weren't improving

18.

I was going to work when I ______ an accident.

a)

see

b)

saw

c)

was seeing

d)

were seeing

19.

Complete with the correct time tenses:


The phone _______ (ring) while David ________ (take) a shower.

a)

ring / was taking

b)

rang / were taking

c)

rang / was taking

20.

Complete with the correct time tenses:


I _______ (sleep) when I ________ (fall) off the bed.

a)

slept / fell

b)

was sleeping / fall

c)

was sleeping / fell

21.

Complete with the correct time tenses:


Tina _______ (do) her homework when her mum ________ (arrive).

a)

did / arrived

b)

was doing / arrives

c)

was doing / arrived

22.

Complete with the correct time tense:


It (a)   (start) to rain, while John was waiting for the bus.