1. He (sleep) when the doorbell (ring).
2. We (eat) dinner at 8pm last night (we started eating at 7:30).
3. Yesterday I (go) to the post office, (buy) some fruit at the supermarket and (read) a book in the park in the afternoon.
4. We (watch) TV when we (hear) a loud noise.
5. Julie (be) in the garden when Laurence (arrive).
6. A: What (you / do) at 3pm yesterday?
B: I (clean) my house.
7. Last year I (visit) Paris and Rome.
8. They (have) dinner when the police (come) to the door.
9. He (work) in the garden when he (find) the money.
10. Laura (study) at 11pm last night.
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11. I (walk) along the road when I (meet) an old friend.
12. It (be) a day in December. Snow (fall), children (sing) carols and people (do) their Christmas shopping.
13. My ex-boyfriend (be) so annoying! He (always / miss) the bus and (arrive) late.
14. When I (call) Julie, she (work).
15. Why (you / cry) when I (arrive)?
16. When he (get) home, we started to eat dinner.
17. At 10am yesterday I (sit) on a bus.
18. I (enjoy) my book so much that I (not / notice) the train had stopped.
19. David (not / sleep) when I (arrive), he (study)!
20. Mr Black (not / work) in the garden at 10pm last night.
​

1. He was sleeping when the doorbell rang.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "was sleeping" shows that the action of sleeping was happening at that specific time in the past, and "rang" is the past simple tense indicating the action that interrupted the continuous action.

2. We were eating dinner at 8pm last night (we started eating at 7:30).
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "were eating" shows that the action of eating dinner was happening at that specific time in the past, and the additional information "we started eating at 7:30" gives more detail about the duration of the action.

3. Yesterday I went to the post office, bought some fruit at the supermarket, and read a book in the park in the afternoon.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past simple tense. Each verb represents a completed action in the past.

4. We were watching TV when we heard a loud noise.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "were watching" shows that the action of watching TV was happening at that specific time in the past, and "heard" is the past simple tense indicating the action that interrupted the continuous action.

5. Julie was in the garden when Laurence arrived.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "was in" shows that Julie's location in the garden was happening at that specific time in the past, and "arrived" is the past simple tense indicating the action of Laurence arriving.

6. A: What were you doing at 3pm yesterday?
B: I was cleaning my house.
Explanation: The sentences are in the past continuous tense. The question "What were you doing?" asks about the ongoing action, and the answer "I was cleaning" shows the specific action happening at that time in the past.

7. Last year, I visited Paris and Rome.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past simple tense. "visited" represents a completed action in the past.

8. They were having dinner when the police came to the door.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "were having" shows that the action of having dinner was happening at that specific time in the past, and "came" is the past simple tense indicating the action that interrupted the continuous action.

9. He was working in the garden when he found the money.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "was working" shows that the action of working in the garden was happening at that specific time in the past, and "found" is the past simple tense indicating the action that interrupted the continuous action.

10. Laura was studying at 11pm last night.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "was studying" shows that the action of studying was happening at that specific time in the past.

11. I was walking along the road when I met an old friend.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "was walking" shows that the action of walking along the road was happening at that specific time in the past, and "met" is the past simple tense indicating the action that interrupted the continuous action.

12. It was a day in December. Snow was falling, children were singing carols, and people were doing their Christmas shopping.
Explanation: The sentences are in the past continuous tense. "was falling", "were singing", and "were doing" show that the actions were happening at that specific time in the past.

13. My ex-boyfriend was so annoying! He always missed the bus and arrived late.
Explanation: The sentences are in the past continuous tense. "was annoying" and "always missed" show habits or repeated actions in the past, and "arrived" is the past simple tense indicating the action that interrupted the continuous action.

14. When I called Julie, she was working.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "was working" shows that the action of working was happening at that specific time in the past.

15. Why were you crying when I arrived?
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "were crying" shows that the action of crying was happening at that specific time in the past, and "arrived" is the past simple tense indicating the action that interrupted the continuous action.

16. When he got home, we started to eat dinner.
Explanation: The sentence is a combination of past simple and past continuous tenses. "got" is the past simple tense indicating the action of him arriving home, and "started" is the past simple tense indicating the action that began after his arrival.

17. At 10am yesterday, I was sitting on a bus.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "was sitting" shows that the action of sitting on the bus was happening at that specific time in the past.

18. I was enjoying my book so much that I didn't notice the train had stopped.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "was enjoying" shows that the action of enjoying the book was happening at that specific time in the past, and "didn't notice" is the past simple tense indicating the action of not noticing.

19. David was not sleeping when I arrived, he was studying!
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "was not sleeping" and "was studying" show that the actions were happening at that specific time in the past.

20. Mr. Black was not working in the garden at 10 pm last night.
Explanation: The sentence is in the past continuous tense. "was not working" shows that the absence of the action of working in the garden was happening at that specific time in the past.