Past Simple and progressive Quiz | Grammar Tense MCQ [SET: 19]

Past Tense: Simple and Progressive

While I _____ whether to buy the CD player, a woman _____ in and snatched it. (wonder, come)

was wondering, came

wondered, was coming

wonder, come

will wonder, will come

✅ While I was wondering whether to buy the CD player, a woman came in and snatched it.

The teacher asked me," What _____ all afternoon yesterday?" (you, do)

were you doing

did you do

do you do

are you doing

✅ The teacher asked me," What were you doing all afternoon yesterday?"

Our neighbour's dog _____ the postman while he _____ a letter. (attack, deliver)

attacked, was delivering

was attacking, delivered

attack, deliver

will attack, will deliver

✅ Our neighbour's dog attacked the postman while he was delivering a letter.

The chairman _____ the conference room and realised that everyone _____ nervously with their neighbour. (enter, chat)

entered, was chatting

was entering, chatted

enters, chats

Will enter, will chat

✅ The chairman entered the conference room and realised that everyone was chatting nervously with their neighbour.

We _____ last night because our neighbours _____ loud music. (can not sleep, play)

could not sleep, were playing

can not sleep, played

could not be sleeping, played

Could not have been sleeping

✅ We could not sleep last night because our neighbours were playing loud music.

Why _____ the crime? (you, not report)

didn't you report

Don’t you report

Were not you reporting

Haven’t you reported

✅ Why didn't you report the crime?

When they got home, they _____ the burglars as they _____ the house. (see, leave)

Saw, were leaving

Were seeing, left

See, leave

Will see, will leave

✅ When they got home, they saw the burglars as they were leaving the house.

The match official _____ the game because it _____. (postpone, rain)

Postponed, was raining

Postpone, rained

Will postpone, will rain

Has postponed, has rained

✅ The match official postponed the game because it was raining.

I _____ on the report the whole afternoon yesterday. (work)

was working

worked

am working

work

✅ I was working on the report the whole afternoon yesterday.

I _____ to the police office to report the break-in. (hurry)

hurried

was hurrying

hurry

will hurry

✅ I hurried to the police office to report the break-in.

While Mom ______ the tree, the children _____ their favourite Christmas TV show. (decorate, watch)

was decorating, were watching

decorate, watch

decorated, watched

has decorated, have watched

✅ While Mom was decorating the tree, the children were watching their favourite Christmas TV show.

As we _____ on the motorway to Cardiff, I suddenly _____ that I had left the cellar door open. (drive, remember)

were driving, remembered

drive, remember

drove, remembered

will drive, will remember

✅ As we were driving on the motorway to Cardiff, I suddenly remembered that I had left the cellar door open.

When I _____ Mary at the dinner party last night, she _____ a wonderful dress. (see, wear)

saw, was wearing

was seeing, wore

see, wear

will see, will wear

✅ When I saw Mary at the dinner party last night, she was wearing a wonderful dress.

He _____ his leg when he fell off the horse. (break, fall)

broke

break

breaks

has broken

✅ He broke his leg when he fell off the horse.

When I _____ up this morning, I looked out of the window and saw that it _____. (wake, snow)

woke, was snowing

was waking, snowed

wake, snow

will wake, will snow

✅ When I woke up this morning, I looked out of the window and saw that it was snowing.