Simple Past or Past Progressive

Exercise 1
Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1. While Tom (read) , Amely (watch) a documentary on

TV.
2. Marvin (come) home, (switch) on the computer and
(check) his emails.
3. The thief (sneak) into the house, (steal) the jewels and
(leave) without a trace.
4. Nobody (listen) while the teacher (explain) the tenses.
5. While we (do) a sight-seeing tour, our friends (lie) on
the beach.
6. He (wake) up and (look) at his watch.

Simple Past or Past Progressive

Exercise 2
Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1. The receptionist (welcome) the guests and (ask) them

to fill in the form.
2. The car (break) down and we (have) to walk home.
3. The boys (swim) while the girls (sunbathe) .
4. My father (come) in, (look) around and (tell)
me to tidy up my room.
5. As long as one group (prepare) dinner, the others (collect)
wood for their campfire.
6. While the parents (have) breakfast, their children (run)
about.
7. Martha (turn) off the lights and (go) to bed.
Exercise 3
Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1. We (wait) for Jane, when suddenly Louis (come)

around the corner.
2. I (cycle) through the park, when I (hear) a strange
noise.
3. He (pass) her a message when the teacher (look / not) .
4. I (fall) asleep while I (watch) TV last night.
5. When Mike and Jane (paint) the walls, their dog (knock)
over the paint pot.
6. Tom (break) his leg when he (play) frisbee.
7. The phone (ring) when I (sit) on the toilet.

Simple Past or Past Progressive

Exercise 4
Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1. I (jog) in the park, when two squirrels (cross) my way.

2. Robert (fall)
3. Archimedes (discover)
a bath.
4. When we (travel)
nice people.
5. While she (speak)
6. When I (leave)
7. Caroline (burn)
off the ladder when he (pick) cherries.
the theory of buoyancy while he (take)
around Ireland, we (meet) some very
on the phone, the milk (boil) over.
the house this morning, the sun (shine) .
her hand when she (iron) her cloth

Double-click on any word and see its definition from Cambridge Dictionaries Online.

Either and Neither are used with an auxiliary or modal verb to express agreement in
the negative (as compared to expressing agreement in the affirmative, when we use
"Too" or "So"), e.g.

"I haven’t been to France. I haven’t either / Neither have I." ("I have been to
 France. I have too / So have I.")
"I can’t see the screen. I can’t either / Neither can I."

Either is used with a negative verb; Neither is used with an affirmative verb.

For further information, please have a look at the web sites listed below. If you do a
search through the document for "either" or "neither", you should find the relevant
information quickly.

Choose the correct answer.

Q1 - She didn't like _____ of them.
either
neither

Q2 - Doesn't she like _____ of them?

either
neither

Q3 - I'm sorry, but I couldn't get through to ______ of them.

either
neither

Q4 - _____ of them told me about it so I didn't go.

Either
Neither

Q5 - Did you manage to speak to _____ of them by any chance?

either
neither

Q6 - If _____ of them can come, I'll be upset- I hope at least one turns up.
either
neither

Q7 - We use a negative verb with...

either
neither

Q8 - Neither...
 ...or
...nor

Q9 - Either...
...or
...nor

Q10 - We ____ a negative verb with 'neither'.

use
don't use

Exercise on Simple Past

Put the verbs into the correct form (simple past).

spent
1. Last year I (spend) my holiday in Ireland.
2. It (be) great.
3. I (travel) around by car with two friends and we (visit)
lots of interesting places.
4. In the evenings we usually (go) to a pub.
5. One night we even (learn) some Irish dances.
6. We (be) very lucky with the weather.
7. It (not / rain) a lot.
8. But we (see) some beautiful rainbows.
9. Where (spend / you) your last holiday?

Check Answ ers

Mark wrong answers

Sentences and questions in the Simple

Past - Exercise 1
Explanation: Simple Past
Put in the verbs in brackets into the gaps. Use the Simple Past. Watch the punctuation
and form sentences or questions.

Example: ____ she ____ the Internet? (to surf)

Answer: Did she surf the Internet?

1) I my Maths homework yesterday. (to do)

2) Susan to England by plane? (to go)
3) They a farm twoo weeks ago. (to visit)
4) Jenny and Peggy their brother. (not/to help)
5) The children at home last weekend. (not/to be)
6) When you this wonderful skirt? (to design)
7) My mother into the van. (not/to crash)
8) The boys the mudguards of their bicycles. (to take off)
9) you your aunt last week? (to phone)
10) He milk at school. (not/to drink)

Check Show answ er

 Tennis is a more difficult sport than Rugby.

 I think John is happier now than a year ago.
 Could you open the window, please? It's getting hotter in this room by the
minute.

 interesting
 weak
 funny
 important
 careful
 bad
 big
 far
 small
 polluted
 boring
  angry
 good

Exercise on Comparison of Adjectives

Fill in the correct form of the words in brackets (comparative or superlative).

bigger
1. My house is (big) than yours.
2. This flower is (beautiful) than that one.
3. This is the (interesting) book I have ever read.
4. Non-smokers usually live (long) than smokers.
5. Which is the (dangerous) animal in the world?
6. A holiday by the sea is (good) than a holiday in the mountains.
7. It is strange but often a coke is (expensive) than a beer.
8. Who is the (rich) woman on earth?
9. The weather this summer is even (bad) than last summer.
10. He was the (clever) thief of all.

Comparatives and Superlatives Exercise at Auto-English

Circle the correct answer.

1 Diana was much taller _______ Charles. 6 Texas is big but Alaska is _______ .
A as A more big
B like B biger
C than C bigger
2 This one is better _______ that one. American Beauty was the _______ film
7
A as that year.
B like A worse
C than B best
C better
This hamburger is bad, but that one is 8 Of all the sofas I've seen so far, this one is
3
_______ . _______ .
A badder A nicer
B worst B the nicest
C worse C most nice
4 Moscow is a long way away but Ulan Batur I'm not short. I'm just _______ tall as
9
is even _______ . Hans.
A further A as
B more far B like
C father C than
5 She's beautiful I agree, but her mother is 10 Samantha is just as rich _______ David.
_______. A as
A beautifuller B like
B most beautiful C than
C more beautiful
ANSWERS BACK CONTACT
Written by Bob Wilson ©Robert Clifford McNair Wilson 2005