Simple Past/ Past Continuous

Verb Tense Exercise 1

Simple Past/ Past Continuous

A Day at the Park

1. A: What (you, do) ______ when I (call) ______ you yesterday?

B: I (play) ______ football with my friends.

2. After I finishing my homework, I (go) ______ outside to play.

3. The teacher (say) ______ that Tom (be) ______ very good in class yesterday.

4. When I (arrive) ______ at the park, my friends (play) ______ on the swings.

5. Yesterday, I (watch) ______ TV when my mom (ask) ______ me to help with dinner.

6. A: I (look) ______ for you at the park, but you (be, not) ______ there.

B: I (ride) ______ my bike at the time.

7. While I (walk) ______ to school, I (see) ______ a cat chasing a butterfly.

8. I (read) ______ a book last night when I (hear) ______ a loud noise outside.

9. When my dad (come) ______ home, my mom (cook) ______ dinner in the kitchen.

10. A: What (you, do) ______ when it (start) ______ to rain yesterday?

B: I (sit) ______ under a tree to stay dry.

Answers 1:

A Day at the Park

1. A: What were you doing when I called you yesterday?

B: I was playing football with my friends.

2. After I finishing my homework, I went outside to play.

3. The teacher said that Tom was very good in class yesterday.

4. When I arrived at the park, my friends were playing on the swings.

5. Yesterday, I was watching TV when my mom asked me to help with dinner.

6. A: I was looking for you at the park, but you were not there.

B: I was riding my bike at the time.

7. While I was walking to school, I saw a cat chasing a butterfly.

8. I was reading a book last night when I heard a loud noise outside.

9. When my dad came home, my mom was cooking dinner in the kitchen.

10. A: What were you doing when it started to rain yesterday?

B: I was sitting under a tree to stay dry.

Verb Tense Exercise 2

Simple Past or Past Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses.

Yesterday afternoon, while I (ride) ______ my bike to the park, I (see) ______ a dog running after a butterfly. The dog (chase) ______ it through the grass, while a group of children (laugh) ______ and (watch) ______ from the swings. I (stop) ______ my bike to see what was happening when the dog suddenly (catch) ______ the butterfly in mid-air!

I couldn’t believe my eyes! The children (clap) ______ and (shout) ______ with excitement. One of the kids (tell) ______ me that the dog (do) ______ this trick every day. I (ask) ______ if the dog was trained, and the boy (say) ______ that it was his neighbor’s dog, and it (love) ______ chasing butterflies.

While I (talk) ______ to the kids, my friend Sarah (call) ______ me on my phone. She (say) ______ she (wait) ______ for me at the ice cream shop. I quickly (thank) ______ the kids and (ride) ______ my bike to meet Sarah.

When I (get) ______ to the shop, Sarah (already, eat) ______ her ice cream. She (laugh) ______ when she (see) ______ my face because I (be) ______ so out of breath from riding so fast!

Answers:

Simple Past / Past Continuous

Yesterday afternoon, while I was riding my bike to the park, I saw a dog running after a butterfly. The dog was chasing it through the grass, while a group of children were laughing and watching from the swings. I stopped my bike to see what was happening when the dog suddenly caught the butterfly in mid-air!

I couldn’t believe my eyes! The children clapped and shouted with excitement. One of the kids told me that the dog did this trick every day. I asked if the dog was trained, and the boy said that it was his neighbor’s dog, and it loved chasing butterflies.

While I was talking to the kids, my friend Sarah called me on my phone. She said she was waiting for me at the ice cream shop. I quickly thanked the kids and rode my bike to meet Sarah.

When I got to the shop, Sarah had already eaten her ice cream. She laughed when she saw my face because I was so out of breath from riding so fast!