Exercise on the past (simple vs continuous) in English - TOEIC Preparation

Here is an exercise to help you master the simple past (preterite) and the past continuous (preterite continuous - or preterite progressive) in English, in order to prepare for your TOEIC.

You can find the lesson here: Lesson on the past for the TOEIC

Exercise

Choose the correct form:

1. While I ______ (to watch) TV, my brother ______ (to play) outside.
2. Last year, we ______ (to visit) Paris and ______ (to see) the Eiffel Tower.
3. She ______ (to cook) dinner when the phone ______ (to ring).
4. When I was a child, I ______ (to go) to the park every weekend.
5. The sun ______ (to set) and the birds ______ (to sing) when we arrived.

Correction

1. While I was watching TV, my brother was playing outside.
   • (Past continuous for two simultaneous ongoing actions in the past)
2. Last year, we visited Paris and saw the Eiffel Tower.
   • (Past simple for completed actions in the past)
3. She was cooking dinner when the phone rang.
   • (Past continuous for an ongoing action interrupted by another action in the past simple)
4. When I was a child, I went to the park every weekend.
   • (Past simple for a habitual action in the past)
5. The sun was setting and the birds were singing when we arrived.
   • (Past continuous to describe the atmosphere or context in a story)