Exercises: Simple Past / Past Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses:

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1. A: What (you, do) when the accident occurred?
B: I (try) to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

2. After I (find) the wallet full of money, I (go, immediately) to the police and (turn) it in.

3. The doctor (say) that Tom (be) too sick to go to work and that he (need) to stay at home for a couple of days.

4. Sebastian (arrive) at Susan's house a little before 9:00 PM, but she (be, not) there. She (study, at the library) for her final examination in French.

5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she (watch, also) television. That's all she ever does!

6. A: I (call) you last night after dinner, but you (be, not) there. Where were you?
B: I (work) out at the fitness center.

7. When I (walk) into the busy office, the secretary (talk) on the phone with a customer, several clerks (work, busily) at their desks, and two managers (discuss, quietly) methods to improve customer service.

8. I (watch) a mystery movie on TV when the electricity went out. Now I am never going to find out how the movie ends.

9. Sharon (be) in the room when John told me what happened, but she didn't hear anything because she (listen, not).

10. It's strange that you (call) because I (think, just) about you.

11. The Titanic (cross) the Atlantic when it (strike) an iceberg.

12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain, busily) and (try) to sell their goods to naive tourists who (hunt) for souvenirs. Some young boys (lead) their donkeys through the narrow streets on their way home. A couple of men (argue) over the price of a leather belt. I (walk) over to a man who (sell) fruit and (buy) a banana.

13. The firemen (rescue) the old woman who (be) trapped on the third floor of the burning building.

14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always) her dirty dishes in the sink. I think she (expect, actually) me to do them for her.

15. Samantha (live) in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live) there when the Berlin Wall came down.

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