GRAMMAR TEST: PAST SIMPLE AND PAST CONTINUOUS A Complete the dialogue. Use the correct past simple form of the verb in brackets., is this your first time in England? No, I (spend) a holiday in Liverpool two years ago. Really? I know Liverpool! Where you (stay)? We (stay) at a hotel near the train station. I can t remember the name, but it (be) a tall green building. Oh, I sometimes (have) lunch in the café right next to it. They (demolish) the building only last year. When (be) you in Liverpool? I once (go) to university there. Really? What you (study)? Hotel Management. But I (not enjoy) it much. Why you (not like) it? It (be) boring. I (leave) after the first year and (start) to study art instead. you (like) that? I (enjoy) it very much, that s why I ve become a gallery owner and (open) my own gallery here. Wow, that s impressive! 10 B Complete the sentences. Use the verb in brackets in the past simple or the past continuous. Example: I saw (see) James yesterday. 1 It (not rain) when we got to the beach. 2 I met Paul when I (walk) the dog. 3 She (not go) to the cinema with us last week. She (go) to a party instead. 4 Ben (wear) his new jeans when you saw him? 5 Last year I (run) in the London marathon. 6 I (not watch) TV when you rang, I was in the shower. 7 you (drive) to France last summer? No, I (drive) to Spain. 8 What you (do) at eight o clock last night? 9 She (leave) him at the altar last week. He s still heartbroken. 10 I (leave) the house when you called. 11 It started to rain when I (ride) home on my bicycle. 12 Wow, did your mother make this cake? No, I (make) it myself! 13 Even though we (thought) we wouldn t make it we (catch) the last train. 14 I (see) Sergei yesterday. 14 1
C Write sentences with when. Use the past simple and past continuous. Example: The sun / shine / he / get up / this morning The sun was shining when he got up this morning. 1 He / receive / a new mail / while / he / work / on his computer 2 He / look through / the whole map / look for / Picadilly Circus. 3 She / smile / happily / she / finally / receive / his love-letter 4 The teacher / be furious / his students / cheat / in the mathematics test 5 She / jog / her mp3-player / stop / work 10 2
D Complete the story with the past simple and continuous of the verbs in the box below. Notice: some verbs occur more than once! not wait stop say get hold wait decide not see be run go look walk be think catch look talk carry not know give wait say When Alex Jones arrived at the JFK International Airport she around but she anybody there to meet her. A lot of people cards with names on them, but they for her. She what to do, but it a beautiful, sunny day so she to go to the hotel on her own. She outside and for a taxi. A lot of people so she the airport bus into New York. The bus in Manhattan, quite near her hotel, and she off. She into the hotel and her name, Alexandra Jones. She to the hotel receptionist when suddenly a man up to her. He a card which Mr Jones. Ms Jones? I m terribly sorry! I for you at the airport but I you a man! That s ok, Alex. It happens to me all the time! 23 E Answer the following questions using the past simple or the past continuous. Be creative! (You can also make up stories as you go along =)) 1 Where did you go to on your last holidays? (1.5 points) 2 Where did you stay? (1.5 points) 3 What did you do during the day? (use at least 5 different verbs; 6 points) 4 Did you encounter any problems during your stay? (invent at least 2 affirmative answers; 4 points) 13 3 Points total 70
SOLUTIONS A, is this your first time in England? No, I spent a holiday in Liverpool two years ago. Really? I know Liverpool! Where did you stay? We stayed at a hotel near the train station. I canʼt remember the name, but it was a tall green building. Oh, I sometimes had lunch in the café right next to it. They demolished the building only last year. When were you in Liverpool? I once went to university there. Really? What did you study? Hotel Management. But I didnʼt enjoy it much. Why didnʼt you like it? It was boring. I left after the first year and started to study art instead. Did you like that? I enjoyed it very much, thatʼs why Iʼve become a gallery owner and opened my own gallery here. Wow, thatʼs impressive! B 1 It wasnʼt raining when we got to the beach. 2 I met Paul when I was walking the dog. 3 She didnʼt go to the cinema with us last week. She went to a party instead. 4 Was Ben wearing his new jeans when you saw him? 5 Last year I ran in the London marathon. 6 I wasnʼt watching TV when you rang, I was in the shower. 7 Did you drive to France last summer? No, I drove to Spain. 8 What did you do at eight oʼclock last night? 9 She left him at the altar a week ago. Heʼs still heartbroken. 10 I was leaving the house when you called. 11 It started to rain when I was riding home on my bicycle. 12 Wow, did your mother make this cake? No I made it myself! 13 Even though we thought we wouldnʼt make it we caught the last train. 14 I saw Sergei yesterday. 4
C 1 He received a new mail while he was working on his computer. 2 He looked through the whole map when he was looking for Picadilly Circus. 3 She was smiling happily when she finally received his love-letter. 4 The teacher was furious when his students were cheating in the mathematics test. 5 She was jogging when her mp3-player stopped working. D When Alex Jones arrived at the JFK International Airport she looked around but she didnʼt see anybody there to meet her. A lot of people were holding cards with names on them, but they werenʼt waiting for her. She didnʼt know what to do, but it was a beautiful, sunny day so she decided to go to the hotel on her own. She went outside and looked for a taxi. A lot of people were waiting so she caught the airport bus into New York. The bus stopped in Manhattan, quite near her hotel, and she got off. She walked into the hotel and gave her name, Alexandra Jones. She was talking to the receptionist when suddenly a man ran up to her. He was carrying a card which said Mr Jones. Ms Jones? Iʼm terribly sorry! I was waiting for you at the airport but I thought you were a man! Thatʼs ok, said Alex. It happens to me all the time! E Individual corrections 5