Make sentences from the words in brackets.
Put the verbs into the correct form: the Past
Simple or the Past Continuous.
1. (I/ fall / asleep when I/watch/ television)
2. (Tom/burn / his hand when he / cook / the dinner)
3. (When we / arrive / the family / have lunch)
4. (She/walk / along the street / and she / not 7 see / me)
5. (I/ sit / between my two sisters / when he / come in)
6. (We / see / James / in the park / He / sit / on the grass
and /read/ the book)
7.
(My uncle / fall / off the ladder while / he / paint / the
ceiling)
8. (The children / not / go / out because / it / rain /
heavily)
9. (The most extraordinary thing / happen / to him while
he/have/ holiday 7 in London)
10. (You / still / work / when I/ leave?)
11. (While I/play/ the piano Joan / read / a newspaper)
12. (Tom / already / work / for the bank when the war /
begin)
13. (Just as I/ get / to an interesting part / of the story/ the
doorbell / ring)
14. (While he / consider / that idea the horses / suddenly /
break into a gallop)
15. (We / not / go / out / because it/ rain / heavily)​

1. I fell asleep when I was watching television.
Explanation: This sentence is in the past simple tense because it describes a completed action in the past (falling asleep) while another action was happening (watching television).

2. Tom burned his hand when he was cooking the dinner.
Explanation: This sentence is also in the past simple tense as it describes a completed action in the past (burning his hand) while another action was happening (cooking the dinner).

3. When we arrived, the family was having lunch.
Explanation: This sentence uses the past simple tense for the action of arriving and the past continuous tense for the ongoing action of having lunch.

4. She was walking along the street and she didn't see me.
Explanation: The past continuous tense is used for the ongoing action of walking and the past simple tense is used for the action of not seeing me.

5. I was sitting between my two sisters when he came in.
Explanation: The past continuous tense is used for the ongoing action of sitting and the past simple tense is used for the action of him coming in.

6. We saw James in the park. He was sitting on the grass and reading the book.
Explanation: The past simple tense is used for the actions of seeing James and reading the book, while the past continuous tense is used for the ongoing action of sitting.

7. My uncle fell off the ladder while he was painting the ceiling.
Explanation: The past simple tense is used for the action of falling off the ladder, and the past continuous tense is used for the ongoing action of painting the ceiling.

8. The children didn't go out because it was raining heavily.
Explanation: Both actions are in the past simple tense as they describe two completed actions in the past.

9. The most extraordinary thing happened to him while he was having a holiday in London.
Explanation: The past simple tense is used for the action of the extraordinary thing happening, and the past continuous tense is used for the ongoing action of having a holiday.

10. Were you still working when I left?
Explanation: The past continuous tense is used for the ongoing action of working, and the past simple tense is used for the action of leaving.

11. While I was playing the piano, Joan was reading a newspaper.
Explanation: The past continuous tense is used for the ongoing action of playing the piano, and the past simple tense is used for the action of reading a newspaper.

12. Tom had already worked for the bank when the war began.
Explanation: The past perfect tense is used for the action of Tom working for the bank before the war started, and the past simple tense is used for the action of the war beginning.

13. Just as I was getting to an interesting part of the story, the doorbell rang.
Explanation: The past continuous tense is used for the ongoing action of getting to an interesting part of the story, and the past simple tense is used for the action of the doorbell ringing.

14. While he was considering that idea, the horses suddenly broke into a gallop.
Explanation: The past continuous tense is used for the ongoing action of considering the idea, and the past simple tense is used for the action of the horses breaking into a gallop.

15. We didn't go out because it was raining heavily.
Explanation: Both actions are in the past simple tense as they describe two completed actions in the past.