Use the past simple or past progressive to complete the sentences.
1. George __________ (fall) off the ladder while he __________ (paint) the ceiling.
2. Last night I __________ (read) in the bed when I suddenly __________ (hear) a scream.
3. __________ (you/watch) TV when I __________ (call) you?
4. Ann __________ (wait) for me when I __________ (arrive).
5. I __________ (not drive) very fast when the accident __________ (happen).
6. I __________ (break) a plate last night. I __________ (wash) the dishes when it __________
(slip) out of my hand.
7. Tom __________ (take) some photos when I __________ (play) in the garden.
8. We __________ (not go) out because it __________ (rain).
9. What __________ (you/do) last week?
10. I __________ (see) Carol at the party. She __________ (wear) a new dress.
11. The cell phone __________ (ring) when I __________ (take) a shower.
12. It __________ (begin) to rain when I __________ (walk) home.
13. We __________ (see) an accident when we __________ (wait) for the bus.
14. The children __________ (sleep) all night.
15. The car __________ (make) strange noises all the way home.
1. They __________ (watch) a film in the cinema so they __________ (not realize) it __________
(snow) outside.
2. I __________ (work) in a school in Prague when I __________ (meet) my boyfriend.
3. My sister __________ (arrive) just as I __________ (cook) some lunch.
4. I __________ (know) I wanted to marry him the first time I __________ (meet) him.
5. He __________ (not break) his arm while he __________ (play) rugby. He __________ (fall)
down the stairs.
6. When I __________ (be) a child I __________ (like) swimming.
7. I __________ (check) on the children and both of them __________ (sleep).
8. The phone __________ (ring) while I __________ (listen) to my MP3 player and I __________
(not hear) it.
9. I think I __________ (see) you yesterday in the station. __________ (you/wear) a blue suit ?
1. A: What __________ (you/do) when the accident __________ (occur)?
B: I __________ (try) to change a light bulb that had burnt out.
2. After I __________ (find) the wallet full of money, I __________ (go, immediately) to the
police and __________ (turn) it in.
3. The doctor (say) __________ that Tom (be) __________ too sick to go to work and that he
(need) __________ to stay at home for a couple of days.
4. Sebastian (arrive) _____________ at Susan's house a little before 9:00 PM, but she (not
be) _____________ there. She (study) _____________ at the library for her final examination in
French.
5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she _____________
(watch, also) television. That's all she ever does!
6. A: I _____________ (call) you last night after dinner, but you _____________ (not be) there.
Where were you?
B: I _____________ (work) out at the fitness center.
7. When I _____________ (walk)into the busy office, the secretary _____________ (talk) on the
phone with a customer, several clerks _____________ (work, busily) at their desks, and two
managers _____________ (discuss, quietly) methods to improve customer service.
8. I _____________ (watch) a mystery movie on TV when the electricity _____________ (go out).
Now I am never going to find out how the movie ends.
9. Sharon _____________ (be) in the room when John told me what happened, but she
_____________ (not hear) anything because she _____________ (not listen).
10. It's strange that you _____________ (call) because I _____________ (think, just) about you.
11. The Titanic _____________ (cross) the Atlantic when it _____________ (strike) an iceberg.
12. When I _____________ (enter) the bazaar, a couple of merchants _____________ (bargain,
busily) and _____________ (try) to sell their goods to naive tourists who _____________
(hunt) for souvenirs. Some young boys _____________ (lead) their donkeys through the
narrow streets on their way home. A couple of men _____________ (argue) over the price of a
leather belt. I _____________ (walk) over to a man who _____________ (sell) fruit and
_____________ (buy) a banana.
13. The firemen _____________ (rescue) the old woman who _____________ (be) trapped on the
third floor of the burning building.
14. She was so annoying! She _____________ (leave, always) her dirty dishes in the sink. I
think she _____________ (expect, actually) me to do them for her.
15. Samantha _____________ (live) in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she _____________
(live) there when the Berlin Wall came down.
