English4U – English Language Learning english-4U. De’s grammar book intermediate level (cefr a2) Table

Were you swimming in the sea? (you swim)

Nora was handing out leaflets. (hand out)

Complete the sentences with the past simple or past progressive.

1. 
   When I to school, I John. (walk / see)
   

2. 
   When he in the kitchen, Mary . (help / come)
   

3. 
   While she the soup, the children . (cook / play)
   
4. 
   When I in the garden, my uncle . (work / call)
   

5. 
   Carol TV while Bob and Peter football. (watch / play)
   
6. 
   When she her hair, the baby to cry. (wash / begin)
   
7. 
   A strong wind when the plane . (blow / land)
   

8. 
   When she tennis, it to rain. (play / began)
   

9. 
   When I TV, the lights out. (watch / go)
   

10. 
    While he the piano, she to him. (play / listen)
    

11. 
    While she up her room, he his car. (tidy / wash)
    

12. 
    The boys in the garden while she the flowers. (help / water)
    
13. 
    He Mary when he through the park. (meet / walk)
    
14. 
    We computer games while she a book. (play / read)
    
15. 
    My mother in the living room when someone
    

into our garage. (sit / break)

Complete the sentences with the past simple or past progressive.

1. 
   Someone poison into the glass while we in the kitchen. (put / talk)
   
2. 
   I to the radio when the fire . (listen / break out)
   
3. 
   I the window because it to rain. (close / start)
   
4. 
   First she the lawn and then she shopping. (cut / go)
   
5. 
   She while I in the sun. (surf / lie)
   

6. 
   In the middle of the night the phone . (ring)
   

7. 
   They back yesterday at nine in the evening. (come)
   

8. 
   I the housework when you at work. (do / be)
   

9. 
   When they at her, she . (look / smile)
   

10. 
    They tea when the doorbell . (have / ring)
    

11. 
    Father his pipe while mother a magazine. (smoke / read)
    
12. 
    While he the lawn, it to rain. (mow / start)
    

13. 
    He breakfast when the toaster up. (have / blow)
    
14. 
    When I into the office, my boss for me. (come / wait)
    
15. 
    When we Brian, he a taxi. (see / drive)
    

PAST SIMPLE OR PROGRESSIVE 3

Fill in the past simple or the past progressive.

1. 
   Father in the car while mother the shopping. (wait / do)
   
2. 
   When he , we dinner. (arrive / have)
   

3. 
   While they chess, we shopping. (play / go)
   

4. 
   They a party while he . (have / sleep)
   

5. 
   He a photo when I the ducks. (take / feed)
   

6. 
   They football when the lights in the stadium
   

out. (play /go)

7. 
   While George and John their room, she the ironing. (clean / do)
   
8. 
   We at Victoria Station when the train . (wait / arrive)
   
9. 
   I out of the window and John. (look / see)
   

10. 
    I to peel the potatoes when Mary in. (help / came)
    
11. 
    The sun when we the hill. (rise / reach)
    

12. 
    He and his hand. (laugh / clap)
    

13. 
    While they , he the piano. (sing / play)
    

14. 
    A heavy wind when the helicopter . (blow / land)
    
15. 
    We to the church when the bell to ring. (go /
    

start)

PAST SIMPLE OR PROGRESSIVE 4

Fill in the past simple or the past progressive.

1. 
   While the police to the house, the burglars the paintings into their bags. (drive / put)
   
2. 
   The baby to cry when she on the radio. (start / turn)
   

3. 
   While he through the park, he Phil. (walk / meet)
   

4. 
   When they through the wood, they the stolen car. (walk / see)
   
5. 
   Although the pianist wonderfully, a guest
   

asleep. (play / fall)

6. 
   She her hair while he on his clothes. (brush / put)
   

7. 
   When they through the shopping centre, he to buy her a ring. (walk / promise)
   
8. 
   While they cards, the baby . (play / sleep)
   

9. 
   Sam the ironing when Jack her. (do / phone)
   

10. 
    While mother up the clothes, her two daughters
    

the dishes. (hang / wash)

11. 
    Ann the floor while John the beds. (sweep / make)
    
12. 
    What yesterday morning? I for an exam. (you do / study)
    
13. 
    George off the ladder while he . (fall / paint)
    

14. 
    Ann for me when I . (wait / arrive).
    

15. 
    I Carol at the party. She a new dress. (see / wear)
    

PAST SIMPLE OR PROGRESSIVE 1

1. 
   When I was walking to school, I saw John.
   
2. 
   When he was helping in the kitchen, Mary came.
   
3. 
   While she was cooking the soup, the children were playing.
   
4. 
   When I was working in the garden, my uncle called.
   
5. 
   Carol was watching TV while Bob and Peter were playing football.
   
6. 
   When she was washing her hair, the baby began to cry.
   
7. 
   A strong wind was blowing when the plane landed.
   
8. 
   When she was playing tennis, it began to rain.
   
9. 
   When I was watching TV, the lights went out.
   
10. 
    While he was playing the piano, she was listening to him.
    
11. 
    While she was tidying up her room, he was washing his car.
    
12. 
    The boys were helping in the garden while she was watering the flowers.
    
13. 
    He met Mary when he was walking through the park.
    
14. 
    We were playing computer games while she was reading a book.
    
15. 
    My mother was sitting in the living room when someone broke into our garage.
    

PAST SIMPLE OR PROGRESSIVE 2

1. 
   Someone put poison into the glass while we were talking in the kitchen.
   
2. 
   I was listening to the radio when the fire broke out.
   
3. 
   I closed the window because it started to rain.
   
4. 
   First she cut the lawn and then she went shopping.
   
5. 
   She was surfing while I was lying in the sun.
   
6. 
   In the middle of the night the phone rang.
   
7. 
   They came back yesterday at nine in the evening.
   
8. 
   I did the housework when you were at work.
   
9. 
   When they looked at her, she was smiling.
   
10. 
    They were having tea when the doorbell rang.
    
11. 
    Father was smoking his pipe while mother was reading a magazine.
    
12. 
    While he was mowing the lawn, it started to rain.
    
13. 
    He was having breakfast when the toaster blew up.
    
14. 
    When I came into the office, my boss was waiting for me.
    
15. 
    When we saw Brian, he was driving a taxi.
    

PAST SIMPLE OR PROGRESSIVE 3

1. 
   Father was waiting in the car while mother was doing the shopping.
   
2. 
   When he arrived, we were having dinner. (arrive / have)
   
3. 
   While they were playing chess, we were going shopping.
   
4. 
   They were having a party while he was sleeping.
   
5. 
   He took a photo when I was feeding the ducks.
   
6. 
   They were playing football when the lights in the stadium went out.
   
7. 
   While George and John were cleaning their room, she was doing the ironing.
   
8. 
   We were waiting at Victoria Station when the train arrived.
   
9. 
   I looked out of the window and saw John.
   
10. 
    I was helping to peel the potatoes when Mary came in.
    
11. 
    The sun was rising when we reached the hill.
    
12. 
    He laughed and clapped his hand.
    
13. 
    While they were singing, he was playing the piano.
    
14. 
    A heavy wind was blowing when the helicopter landed.
    
15. 
    We were going to the church when the bell started to ring.
    

PAST SIMPLE OR PROGRESSIVE 4

1. 
   While the police were driving (was driving) to the house, the burglars were putting the paintings into their bags.
   
2. 
   The baby started to cry when she turned on the radio.
   
3. 
   While he was walking through the park, he met Phil.
   
4. 
   When they were walking through the wood, they saw the stolen car.
   
5. 
   Although the pianist was playing wonderfully, a guest fell asleep.
   
6. 
   She was brushing her hair while he was putting on his clothes.
   
7. 
   When they were walking through the shopping centre, he promised to buy her a ring.
   
8. 
   While they were playing cards, the baby was sleeping.
   
9. 
   Sam was doing the ironing when Jack phoned her.
   
10. 
    While mother was hanging up the clothes, her two daughters were washing the dishes.
    
11. 
    Ann was sweeping the floor while John was making the beds.
    
12. 
    What were you doing yesterday morning? I was studying for an exam.
    
13. 
    George fell off the ladder while he was painting.
    
14. 
    Ann was waiting for me when I arrived.
    
15. 
    I saw Carol at the party. She was wearing a new dress.