Put the verbs in brackets into the Past Continuous or the Past Simple.
1. While he (water) _____ the flowers it (begin) _____ to rain. He (put) _____ up his
umbrella and (go) _____ on watering.
2. I lit the fire at 6.00 and it (burn) _____ brightly when Tom came in at 7.00.
3. I (make) _____ a cake when the light went out. I had to finish it in the dark.
4. I didn’t want to meet Paul so when he entered the room I (leave) _____ .
5. Unfortunately when I arrived Ann just (leave) _____ , so we only had time for a few words.
6. He was very polite. Whenever his wife entered the room he (stand) _____ up.
7. My dog (walk) _____ along quietly when Mr. Pitt’s Pekinese attacked him.
8. When I arrived she (have) _____ lunch. She apologized for starting without me but said
that she always had lunch at 12.30.
9. He always (wear) _____ a raincoat and (carry) _____ an umbrella when he walked to the
office.
10. What do you think of his last book? I (like) _____ it very much.
11. I (share) _____ a flat with him when we were students. He always (complain) _____ about
my untidiness.
12. He suddenly (realize) _____ that he (travel) _____ in the wrong direction.
13. He (play) _____ the guitar outside her house when someone opened the window and (throw
out) _____ a bucket of water.
14. I just (open) _____ the letter when the wind (blow) _____ it out of my hand.
15. When I (look) _____ for my passport I (find) _____ this old photograph.
Answers & Comments
While he was watering the flowers, it began to rain. He put up his umbrella and went on watering.
I lit the fire at 6.00 and it was burning brightly when Tom came in at 7.00.
I was making a cake when the light went out. I had to finish it in the dark.
I didn’t want to meet Paul so when he entered the room I left.
Unfortunately, when I arrived Ann had just left, so we only had time for a few words.
He was very polite. Whenever his wife entered the room, he stood up.
My dog was walking along quietly when Mr. Pitt's Pekinese attacked him.
When I arrived, she was having lunch. She apologized for starting without me but said that she always had lunch at 12.30.
He always wore a raincoat and carried an umbrella when he walked to the office.
What do you think of his last book? I liked it very much.
I was sharing a flat with him when we were students. He always complained about my untidiness.
He suddenly realized that he was traveling in the wrong direction.
He was playing the guitar outside her house when someone opened the window and threw out a bucket of water.
I had just opened the letter when the wind blew it out of my hand.
When I was looking for my passport, I found this old photograph.