Test on Past Simple and Past Continuous

Grammar

1 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in the Past Simple or the Past Continuous.

Mike the magician ___loved__  (love) entertaining children. One day, his neighbours 1 __________ (ask) him to perform at their daughter Emma’s fifth birthday party.

When Mike 2 __________ (arrive) at the party at three o’clock, Emma and her friends

3 ___________________ (play) games in the garden. Two of the older children

4 ___________________________ (not / play) games. They were in the kitchen with Emma’s mum.

Mike 5 __________ (put on) his magician’s clothes and his big black hat. He 6 _______________ (not / need) any special equipment. The magic show was a great success. At the end of the show, Mike 7 __________ (speak) to Emma:

Mike: 8 _____________________ (your mum / make) you a birthday cake, Emma?

Emma: Yes, but our dog 9 __________ (eat) it this morning.

Mike: Well, here’s another cake for you. Look!

There was a beautiful birthday cake with five candles on it in his magician’s hat!

Emma: Thank you very much. But how 10 ___________________ (you / know) about mum’s cake and the dog?

Mike: It’s magic!

2 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs in the Past Simple or the Past Continuous.

Tom _loved_ (love) dancing but he 1 __________ (not like) auditions. Last Tuesday, he 2 __________ (go) for an audition in London for a new musical. Unfortunately, he 3 __________ (not / catch) the right bus and he was late. When he 4 __________ (arrive) at the studio, the pianist 5 __________ (play) and all the other dancers 6 __________ (practise). There was no time for Tom to be nervous.

After the audition, Tom 7 __________ (change) his shoes when the producer 8 __________ (speak) to him:

Producer: I 9 __________ (know) your mother when she was a young ballet dancer. She was wonderful. 10 __________ (she / teach) you?

Tom: Yes, sir. She was my first and my best teacher.