Past Simple and Past Continuous

Now that you have learnt how to use the past continuous at school , here you have some exercises to practise!!!

Past Continuous vs Past Simple gap-fill exercise

Fill in all the gaps, with the right form of the verb in bracket.

James Ellis (go)................................ on a business trip last week. He (visit).............................. some customers in Frankfurt. He (leave).................................... home early on Monday morning and (take).................................. a taxi to the airport. He (get)..................................... there at about 8 o'clock. He (check in)........................................ and (go) .............................to the airport lounge. He (buy)...................................... a newspaper and (go)................................. to get a coffee.
He (drink).................................. his coffee when he (see) ..........................an old friend, Bob. He ............................. very surprised that Bob (be)............................. in London and (find out) ...........................that he (start) ...........................................a new job in the city. As they(speak) ...................................they (hear).................................... an announcement. "Would all passengers for the 9.30 flight to Frankfurt please go to boarding gate 10". James (say).......................... goodbye to Bob and as they (leave) .....................................Bob (give).................................... him his business card and (ask)................................him to phone when he (return) .......................................from Frankfurt.
After (board)........................................... James (put)............................. his briefcase in the overhead locker and (sit)................................ down. During the flight, James (do) ..............................some paper work and (speak) .................................to the woman sitting next to him, while they (speak) ..................................the flight attendant (bring) ...............................breakfast.
When the plane (land)................................... in London, it was almost 11 o'clock.James (take) ...........................a train to his hotel. Then he (walk)......................................... to the customer's office. He (get)......................... there at 1.00 pm and (go)............................ to the reception desk. The receptionist (ask).......................... him to wait. While he (wait)................................. she (offer)....................................... him a drink. He and his customer (talk)............................ all afternoon. When Bob (get) ..........................................to his hotel at 7 o'clock that night, he (phone)...................................... his wife and then (go) ................................to the hotel restaurant.


past simple or continuous
Gap-fill exercise
Complete with past simple or past continuous

While I (talk)............................. to my friends at the disco last Saturday a boy I (know)................................... called John (come)............................. up to me and (ask).................................... me to dance. While we (dance)...................................., he accidentally (stand)..................................... on my foot. I (scream)................................ in pain. We (stop).................................. dancing and (walk).................................. over to the bar. While we (walk).................................., I (notice) ...................................some other friend of mine. They (start) ...........................................to argue. I (ignore)................................... them and while John (order).......................................... the drinks, I (hope)................................. for a better evening.