Past Simple and progressive Quiz | Grammar Tense MCQ [SET: 20]

Past Tense: Simple and Progressive

Mrs Smith _____ past the house in Sunset Street when she _____ fire on the ground floor. (drive, see)

was driving, saw

drove, was seeing

drives, sees

will drive, will see

✅ Mrs Smith was driving past the house in Sunset Street when she saw fire on the ground floor.

While he _____ off the coast the pilot _____ sharks approaching the swimmers. (fly, see)

was flying, saw

flew, was seeing

fly, see

will fly, will see

✅ While he was flying off the coast, the pilot saw sharks approaching the swimmers.

Alice _____ herself while she _____ football. (hurt, play)

hurt, was playing

was hurting, played

hurts, plays

will hurt, will play

✅ Alice hurt herself while she was playing football.

She _____ while she _____ after the bus. (fall, run)

fell, was running

was felling, ran

fall, run

will fall, will run

✅ She fell while she was running after the bus.

I _____ my wallet while I _____ my bike. (lose, ride)

lost, was riding

lose, rode

have lost, ride

will lose, will ride

✅ I lost my wallet while I was riding my bike.

We _____ dinner when the lights _____ out. (have, go)

were having, went

had, were going

have, go

will have, will go

✅ We were having dinner when the lights went out.

She _____ of something else while you _____ to her. (think, talk)

was thinking, were talking

thought, talked

thinks, talk

will think, will talk

✅ She was thinking of something else while you were talking to her.

The fireman _____ the fire on the balcony below when he suddenly _____ someone shouting. (fight, hear)

was fighting, heard

fought, was hearing

fights, hears

will fight, will hear

✅ The fireman was fighting the fire on the balcony below when he suddenly heard someone shouting.

I _____ her while I _____ out of the window. (see, look)

saw, was looking

was seeing, looked

see, look

will see, will look

✅ I saw her while I was looking out of the window.

While the teacher _____ instructions, the students _____ at a spider climbing up the wall. (give, look)

was giving, were looking

give, look

gave, looked

will give, will look

✅ While the teacher was giving instructions, the students were looking at a spider climbing up the wall.

Sally _____ dinner last night when someone _____ at the door. (have, knock)

was having, knocked

had, was knocking

has, knocks

will have, will knock

✅ Sally was having dinner last night when someone knocked at the door.

My roommate's parents _____ him last night while we _____ TV. (call, watch)

called, were watching

was calling, watched

call, watch

will call, will watch

✅ My roommate's parents called him last night while we were watching TV.

When my husband _____ home, I _____ the laundry. (come, do)

came, was doing

was coming, did

come, do

will come, will do

✅ When my husband came home, I was doing the laundry.

While they ______ home it _____ to rain, so they stopped at a small cafe and had a cup of coffee. (walk, begin)

were walking, began

walked, was beginning

walk, begin

will walk

✅ While they were walking home it began to rain, so they stopped at a small cafe and had a cup of coffee.

When I _____ home at around 2 o'clock, Mum was in her garden. She was planting some flowers and dad _____ the oil of the car in the garage. (get, change)

got, was changing

was getting, changed

get, change

will get, will change

✅ When I got home at around 2 o'clock, Mum was in her garden. She was planting some flowers and dad was changing the oil of the car in the garage.