Simple Past or Past Continuous Tense Exercise for Class 9

The simple past tense is used to talk about finished actions in the past. The past continuous tense is used to say that something was going on at a particular past time.

• I watched TV for an hour yesterday. (Simple past – finished action)
• I was watching TV at 8 o’clock yesterday evening. (Past continuous – focus on continuity around a past time)
• She was doing her homework.

Simple past or past continuous tense exercise

Complete the following sentences using a simple past or past continuous tense form.

1. When you …………… (phoned / were phoning) I ………………… (worked / was working) in the garden.

2. When I ………………. (woke / was waking) up this morning, the sun ………………… (shone / was shining)

3. When the guests ………………… (arrived / were arriving) I ………………… (had / was having) a bath.

4. The students ……………… (played / were playing) when the teacher …………….. (entered / was entering) the classroom.

5. Rahul ……………… (did / was doing) his homework when the lights ……………… (were going / went) out.

6. As I …………………… (walked / was walking) down the road, I …………… (saw / was seeing) Shyam.

7. Someone …………….. (was knocking / knocked) on the door when I ……………….. (had / was having) dinner.

8. The accident …………….. (was happening / happened) when I ……………… (waited / was waiting) for the bus.

9. When I …………… (was opening / opened) the window, the cat …………….. (was jumping / jumped) out.

Answers

1. When you phoned I was working in the garden.

2. When I woke up this morning, the sun was shining.

3. When the guests arrived I was having a bath.

4. The students were playing when the teacher entered the classroom.

5. Rahul was doing his homework when the lights went out.

6. As I was walking down the road, I saw Shyam.

7. Someone knocked on the door when I was having dinner.

8. The accident happened when I was waiting for the bus.

9. When I opened the window, the cat jumped out.