01Background activities
Use the past continuous for background activity already in progress at a past moment.
We were chatting when the bus arrived.A2
Past Simple or continuous Exercises
About this lesson
Past simple or continuous · A2. Use the past continuous for background activity already in progress at a past moment.
Practise Past simple or continuous in short situations. Read the clue, choose or write a form, then check the reason. The level is an editorial guide.
12 items
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Knowledge map
Start practisingPast simple or continuous
02Interruptions and completed events
Use the past simple for a completed event that interrupts the background or for successive finished events.
She dropped the cup and caught it.03Two activities at the same time
Two long activities in progress together can both use the past continuous; while often links them.
While I was typing, Jo was reading.Illustrated guide
01 / 12D01Save it to find it in My collection.
I was halfway through my shower when the phone rang. I ___ a shower. (have)
Choose the option that completes the gap in this situation.
Your learning route
01
Step 1 · Warm-up
0/3Warm-up
02
Step 2 · Build the skill
0/2Background activities
Use the past continuous for background activity already in progress at a past moment.
We were chatting when the bus arrived.03
Step 3 · Build the skill
0/1Interruptions and completed events
Use the past simple for a completed event that interrupts the background or for successive finished events.
She dropped the cup and caught it.04
Step 4 · Build the skill
0/1Two activities at the same time
Two long activities in progress together can both use the past continuous; while often links them.
While I was typing, Jo was reading.05
Step 5 · New contexts
0/3New contexts
06
Step 6 · A fresh challenge
0/2A fresh challenge
Practice notes in this unit
0Make mistakes useful.
Keep the first try. Understand the change. Check it in a fresh situation.
No practice notes yet. Try a short warm-up.
Lesson map
A2Past simple or continuous
Lesson points
Background activities
Use the past continuous for background activity already in progress at a past moment.
We were chatting when the bus arrived.Interruptions and completed events
Use the past simple for a completed event that interrupts the background or for successive finished events.
She dropped the cup and caught it.Two activities at the same time
Two long activities in progress together can both use the past continuous; while often links them.
While I was typing, Jo was reading.Questions & answers
Opening an answer records help for that question.
I was halfway through my shower when the phone rang. I ___ a shower. (have)
Choose the option that completes the gap in this situation.
- was having
- am having
- had once
- have
Answer & explanation
was having
Look at “I was halfway through my shower when the phone rang. I ___ a shower. (have)”. Use the past continuous for background activity already in progress at a past moment. Complete sentence: “I was halfway through my shower when the phone rang. I was having a shower. (have)”.
While we were eating, the doorbell suddenly ___. (ring)
Use the past simple for the sudden event that interrupts the background activity.
- was ringing every day
- was ring
- rings
- rang
Answer & explanation
rang
Look at “While we were eating, the doorbell suddenly ___. (ring)”. Use the past simple for a completed event that interrupts the background or for successive finished events. Complete sentence: “While we were eating, the doorbell suddenly rang. (ring)”.
Both activities continued for an hour: while I was reading, Sara ___ music. (play)
Choose the option that completes the gap in this situation.
- play
- plays
- is playing
- was playing
Answer & explanation
was playing
Look at “Both activities continued for an hour: while I was reading, Sara ___ music. (play)”. Two long activities in progress together can both use the past continuous; while often links them. Complete sentence: “Both activities continued for an hour: while I was reading, Sara was playing music. (play)”.
When the lights went out, Leo was in the middle of cooking. He ___. (cook)
Use the past continuous of cook to keep the activity-in-progress viewpoint. Write only the missing form.
Answer & explanation
was cooking
Reference completion: “When the lights went out, Leo was in the middle of cooking. He was cooking. (cook)”. Use the past continuous for background activity already in progress at a past moment.
I opened the envelope and then ___ the letter. (read)
Choose the option that completes the gap in this situation.
- was read
- reading
- reads
- read
Answer & explanation
read
Look at “I opened the envelope and then ___ the letter. (read)”. Use the past simple for a completed event that interrupts the background or for successive finished events. Complete sentence: “I opened the envelope and then read the letter. (read)”.
For the whole afternoon, Mum was painting while Dad ___ shelves. (build)
Choose the option that completes the gap in this situation.
- was building
- was build
- builds
- is building
Answer & explanation
was building
Look at “For the whole afternoon, Mum was painting while Dad ___ shelves. (build)”. Two long activities in progress together can both use the past continuous; while often links them. Complete sentence: “For the whole afternoon, Mum was painting while Dad was building shelves. (build)”.
At the moment the alarm sounded, the guards ___ their lunch. (eat)
Use the past continuous of eat to describe lunch already in progress when the alarm sounded. Write only the missing form.
Answer & explanation
were eating
Reference completion: “At the moment the alarm sounded, the guards were eating their lunch. (eat)”. Use the past continuous for background activity already in progress at a past moment.
It started to rain during our walk. We ___ along the beach when it started. (walk)
Choose the option that completes the gap in this situation.
- were walk
- walks
- are walking
- were walking
Answer & explanation
were walking
Look at “It started to rain during our walk. We ___ along the beach when it started. (walk)”. Use the past continuous for background activity already in progress at a past moment. Complete sentence: “It started to rain during our walk. We were walking along the beach when it started. (walk)”.
The glass fell from the shelf and ___. (break)
Choose the option that completes the gap in this situation.
- breaking
- was break
- breaks
- broke
Answer & explanation
broke
Look at “The glass fell from the shelf and ___. (break)”. Use the past simple for a completed event that interrupts the background or for successive finished events. Complete sentence: “The glass fell from the shelf and broke. (break)”.
The two jobs happened together: I was sweeping while Kim ___ the windows. (clean)
Use the past continuous of clean to present Kim’s activity as in progress alongside the sweeping. Write only the missing form.
Answer & explanation
was cleaning
Reference completion: “The two jobs happened together: I was sweeping while Kim was cleaning the windows. (clean)”. Two long activities in progress together can both use the past continuous; while often links them.
While he was cycling, a dog suddenly ___ in front of him. (run)
Choose the option that completes the gap in this situation.
- runs
- was run
- running
- ran
Answer & explanation
ran
Look at “While he was cycling, a dog suddenly ___ in front of him. (run)”. Use the past simple for a completed event that interrupts the background or for successive finished events. Complete sentence: “While he was cycling, a dog suddenly ran in front of him. (run)”.
All evening, the children were drawing while we ___ dinner. (prepare)
Use the past continuous of prepare to present the dinner preparation as in progress alongside the drawing. Write only the missing form.
Answer & explanation
were preparing
Reference completion: “All evening, the children were drawing while we were preparing dinner. (prepare)”. Two long activities in progress together can both use the past continuous; while often links them.