Exercise for Past Continuous and Simple

Use the SIMPLE PAST or the PAST PROGRESSIVE in the following.

1.       I am sitting in class right now. I  (sit) . . . was sitting . . . in class at this exact same time yesterday.

2.       I don’t want to go to the zoo today because it is raining.  The same thing happened yesterday. I (want, not) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . to go to the zoo because it (rain) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3.       I (call)  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Roger at nine last night, but he (be, not) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . at home. He (study) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . at the library.

4.       I (hear, not) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the thunder during the storm last night because I (sleep) . . . . . . . . . . . 

5.       It was beautiful yesterday when we went for a walk in the park. The sun (shine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A cool breeze (blow) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The birds (sing) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6.       My brother and sister  (argue) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . about something when I (walk) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . into the room.

7.       I got a package in the mail. When I (open) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . it, I (find) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . a surprise.

8.       Tommy went to his friends’ house, but the boys (be, not) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . there. They (play) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . soccer in the vacant lot down the street.

9.       Stanley (climb) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the stairs when he (trip) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and (fall) . . . . . . . . . . . . Luckily, he (hurt, not) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . himself.

10.   While Mrs. Emerson (read) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the little boy a story, he (fall) . . . . . . . . . . . . asleep, so she (close) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the book and quietly (tiptoe) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11.   I really enjoyed my vacation last January. While it (snow) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  in Lowa, the sun (shine) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . in Florida. While you (shovel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . snow in Lowa, I (lie) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . on the beach in Florida.

12.   While Ted (shovel) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .snow from his driveway yesterday, his wife (bring) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . him a cup of hot chocolate.