T081 - Past Tense Simple or Progressive

Gap-fill exercise

Put in the correct forms: Past Tense – Simple and Progressive


  1. Why   (you, not tell) her that I had been here before ?
  2.   (They,  be able ) to solve the problem ? - I  don’t know. I just know that they   (work) on it all day yesterday.
  3. The inspector   (think) hard about the murder when he suddenly   (realise)  that he   (follow) the wrong track.
  4. I happened to be in London when they   (repair)  London bridge.
  5.   (You, see) the new George Clooney film at nine p.m.  yesterday ? - No, at nine, I   (still, work)  on the computer.
  6. I   (see) Mrs. Carrington yesterday. She    (sit) in the train to Bristol. I   (wonder) where she   (go) because she   (not have) any relatives anywhere.
  7. When   (they, buy) your house ?
  8. He   (have) breakfast when my mother   (suffer) a heart attack.
  9. What   (you, do) when I gave you a ring ?
  10. Father   (watch) TV when he   (hear) the news.
  11. The war   (start) in 1939.
  12. At eight o’clock I   (listen) to the radio.