Bachillerato Practice Unit 2

Past simple and past continuous

1 Match sentences 1–4 with their uses a–d.

1  While we were singing in our music class, the other class was painting

    pictures. ____

2  It was a cold and cloudy day in Dublin. ____

3  Finally, I arrived at the top of the mountain and I admired the incredible

    views. ____

4  When we were sailing, we saw a dolphin in the sea. ____

a  two complete actions, one after the other

b  a long incomplete action, interrupted by a shorter action

c  two long incomplete actions happening at the same time

d  a description of the background context of a story

2 Choose the best answers to complete the sentences.

1  When I made / was making a cup of tea, I dropped / was dropping the cup.

2  They didn’t get / weren’t getting a burger after they went / were going to the

    cinema.

3  What did you do / were you doing at 7 pm yesterday?

4  Did Liz listen / Was Liz listening to music, while she ran / was running in the

    park?

5  He got / was getting home, he took / was taking off his coat and boots and he

    had / was having some toast.

6  I didn’t think / wasn’t thinking about the party while I did / was doing my maths

    homework.

7  Once upon a time, a little girl went / was going to visit her grandmother, when

    she saw / was seeing a wolf.

8  Frank and I played / were playing tennis and then we went / were going home.

3 Match the beginnings of the sentences 1–8 with their endings a–h.

1  Ben broke his arm … ____

2  While he was travelling around the world, … ____

3  What were the views like … ____

4  I was chopping vegetables when … ____

5  She was presenting the survival show, … ____

6  Kim phoned my house … ____

7  Matt was holding some flowers when … ____

8  I fell asleep … ____

a  from the top of the mountain?

b  three times yesterday.

c  when he fell off his bike.

d  when she fell in the river.

e  he made friends from different countries.

f   I cut my finger.

g  while I was watching the film.

h  a bee stung him.

 4 Put the words in the correct order to make sentences.

1  sunburnt / While / I / I / sunbathing / got / was / .

    ______________________________________________________________

2  they / bed / early / go / last night / Did / to / ?

    ______________________________________________________________

3  were / last night / They / at 6 pm / dinner / their / eating / .

    ______________________________________________________________

4  you / watching / What / last night / were / on TV / ?

    ______________________________________________________________

5  video games / Tom / were / We / arrived / when / playing / .

    ______________________________________________________________

6  I / skating / broke / I / when / was / my arm / .

    ______________________________________________________________

 5 Write complete sentences using the prompts given.

1  I felt very nervous before the exam and I / not eat / breakfast.

    ______________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________

2  What were you doing while we / research / the project?

    ______________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________

3  My dad was buying the newspaper when he / meet / my teacher.

    ______________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________

4  I forgot my book and I / not do / my homework.

    ______________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________

5  While we were camping, our friends / stay / in a hotel.

    ______________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________

6  I went outside with wet hair and then I / get / a cold.

    ______________________________________________________________

    ______________________________________________________________

 6 Choose the best answers to complete the text.

Last winter my family and I 1 went / were going to the mountains. I 2 didn’t spend / wasn’t spending the first day snowboarding because we got there late in the evening. On the second day, the sun was shining. I 3 wanted / wanted to go snowboarding. I 4 got dressed / was getting dressed and 5 ate / was eating my breakfast quickly.

When I arrived on the slopes, the instructor 6 waited / was waiting for me. After lunch, I 7 snowboarded / was snowboarding on my own. Unfortunately, I 8 fell /

was falling and hurt my leg. My parents 9 took / were taking me to hospital. My broken leg meant that for the rest of the holiday I 10 didn’t snowboard / wasn’t

snowboarding again.