Past Simple & Continuous: exercises - KEY

 
 
   
 
Elementary...
I’m Paws.

Complete the passage with the verbs in brackets in the Past Simple or the Past Continuous.

One shiny morning, Inspector Clueless (1) _____was having_______ (have)

breakfast when suddenly his phone (2) ______rang_______________ (ring). He

(3) _____answered___________ (answer) the phone very annoyed because he

always (4) _____enjoyed____________ (enjoy) reading the newspaper while he

(5) ____was drinking_______ (drink) his first cup of tea. It (6) _____was______

(be) Lady Vain. She (7) _____was crying________ (cry) so loud that Inspector

Clueless (8) ______couldn’t_____ (not can) understand her. Finally, Lady

Vain (9) _______stopped_____ (stop) crying and she (10) _____told____________ Lady Vain

(tell) Clueless about her misfortune.

“In the middle of the night, someone (11) ______emptied___________

(empty) my jewel box: Oh!, my blue diamond ring, my gold bracelets,

my pearl necklaces, my diamond earrings... and... one of my dear

pictures, too: My Van Gogh!”, Lady Vain (12) ____reported________

(report) Clueless. “Nobody (13) _____heard___________ (hear) the evil

thieves because the family and the servants (14) __were sleeping_____

(sleep). Please, Inspector, help me!”, (15) ____begged________ (beg) her.

Inspector Clueless and his smart assistant Paws (16) ________started______ (start) their

investigation. First of all, they (17) _____checked____________ (check) the alarm and the safe, they

(18) ________made_______________ (make) some questions to the people in the house and they also

(19) _____searched_______ (search) for fingerprints and footprints with the help of their magnifying

glasses. Unfortunately, Inspector Clueless (20) _____didn’t have_________ (not have) any clues. He

was clueless! Suddenly, when Clueless (21) ______was looking_____________ (look) for some

evidence, Paws (22) ________got__________ (get) some clues: a torch, a red hair and a chewing

gum... Elementary, Paws!, (23) _______shouted_______ (shout) Clueless.

Inspector Clueless could find some evidence but he needs your help.
How did the theft happen? How could Clueless solve the mystery?
Here you are some words related to crime you can use to finish the story.
• weapon • victim • robber • suspect • security guard • punishment • solve •
— criminal • robbery • guards • arrest • witness • investigate —
3)    Right  or  wrong.    Correct  if  wrong.  
 
a.    I  walked  home  yesterday  after  the  party.  Right  

b.    I  walked  along  the  street  when  suddenly  I  heard  footsteps  behind  me.    Somebody  
  I  was  walking    
   
  followed  me.    I  was  frightened  and  I  was  starting  to  run.  Wrong  
  was  following          started  
 
c.    It  was  warm,  so  I  was  taking  off  my  coat.     Wrong  
                   took  off  
 
d.    The  film  wasn’t  very  good.    I  didn’t  enjoy  it  very  much.     Right  

e.    Mozart  wrote  more  than  600  pieces  of  music.     Right  

f.    I  was  going  to  the  cinema  3  times  last  week.     Wrong  

  went  
 
g.    I  cycled  home  yesterday  when  suddenly  a  man  stepped  out  into  the  road  in  front    
  was  cycling  
 
       of  me.    I  was  going  quite  fast  but  luckily  I  was  managing  to  stop  in  time  and    
                         managed  
       didn’t  hit  him.     Wrong  
 
h.    We  invited  them  to  our  party  but  they  decided  not  to  come.     Right  

i.    He  was  being  35  years  old  when  he  died.     Wrong  
       was  
 
j.    I  was  enjoying  the  party  but  Chris  was  wanting  to  go  home.     Wrong  
                                                                                                                                 wanted  
 
 
 

   
4)    Making  sentences  using  the  Past  Simple  &  the  Past  Continuous.  
 
v Have  a  look  at  these  rules.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
v Join  the  parts  of  the  sentences  with  when  or  while  and  the  correct  form  of  the  past  tense.  
 
a.    …She/swim  in  the  sea         //  she  /lose  one  of  her  beach  shoes.    (While)  
She  lost  one  of  her  beach  shoes  while  she  was  swimming  in  the  sea.  
b.    I/do  my  homework  …       //  all  the  lights/go  out.    (when)  
I  was  doing  my  homework  when  all  the  lights  went  out.  
c.    …They  /have  dinner       //  the  cat/eat  the  goldfish.    (while)  
The  cat  ate  the  goldfish  while  they  were  having  dinner.  
d.    My  brother/cycle  quite  fast  …     //  he/get  a  puncture.    (when)  
My  brother  was  cycling  quite  fast  when  he  got  a  puncture.  
e.    …I/change  some  money     //  a  robber/run  into  the  bank.    (while)  
A  robber  ran  into  the  bank  while  I  was  changing  some  money.  
f.    I  /see  Jackie  &  Terry…       //    I/come  back  from  the  airport.    (when)  
I  saw  Jackie  &  Terry  when  I  was  coming  back  from  the  airport.  
 
   
 pAST SIMPLE & CONTINUOUS - Extra exercises

1)    Look  at  the  pictures  and  put  the  verbs  in  the  correct  form,  past  simple  or  past  continuous.  
 
 
  1.     Carol   broke   (break)   her   arm   last   week.     It  
 
happened   (happen)   when   she   was   painting  
 
  (paint)  her  room.    She  fell  (fall)  off  the  ladder.  
   
 
2.     The   train   arrived   (arrive)   at   the   station   and  
 
  Paula   got  (get)  off.     Two  friends  of   hers,   John  and  
  Jenny,  were  waiting  (wait)  to  meet  her.  
 
   
  3.     Yesterday   Sue   was   walking   (walk)   along   the  
 
road   when   she   met   (meet)   Jim.     He   was   going  
 
  (go)   to   the   station   to   catch   a   train   and   he   was  
  carrying   (carry)   a   bag.     They   stopped   (stop)   to  
 
talk  for  a  few  minutes.  
 
 
2)    Put  the  verb  into  the  past  simple  or  past  continuous.  
 
1.  A:   What  were  you  doing  (you/do)  when  the  phone  rang  (ring)?  
     B:   I  was  watching  (watch)  television.  
2.  A:   Was  Jane  busy  when  you  went  to  see  her?  
     B:   Yes,  she  was  studying  (study).  
3.  A:   What  time  did  the  post  arrive  (the  post/arrive)  this  morning?  
     B:   It  came  (come)  while  I  was  having  (have)  breakfast.  
4.  A:   Was  Margaret  at  work  today?  
     B:   No,  she  didn't  go  (not/go)  to  work.    She  was  ill.  
5.  A:   How  fast  were  you  driving  (you/drive)  when  the  police  stopped  (stop)  you?  
     B:   I  don't  know  exactly  but  I  wasn't  driving  (not/drive)  very  fast.  
6.  A:   Did  your  team  win  (your  team/win)  the  football  match  yesterday?  
     B:   No,  the  weather  was  very  bad,  so  we  didn't  play  (not/play).  
7.  A:   How  did  you  break  (you/break)  the  window?  
     B:   We  were  playing  (play)  football.    I  kicked  (kick)  the  ball  and  it  hit  (hit)  the  window.  
8.  A:   Did  you  see  (you/see)  Jenny  last  night?  
     B:   Yes,  she  was  wearing  (wear)  a  very  nice  jacket.  
9.  A:   What  were  you  doing  (you/do)  at  2  o'clock  this  morning?  
     B:   I  was  asleep.  
10.A:   I  lost  (lose)  my  key  last  night.  
     B:   How  did  you  get  (you/get)  into  your  room?  
     A:   I  climbed  (climb)  in  through  a  window.