Past Simple Or Past Progressive?
Choose the correct verb form
Questions and Answers
- 1.
When Osel Torres was 2 he ______________ to India.
- A.
Was went
- B.
Has gone
- C.
Was taken
- D.
Was gone
Correct Answer
C. Was takenExplanation
When Osel Torres was 2, someone else took him to India. This implies that Osel did not go to India on his own, but rather someone else was responsible for taking him there. Therefore, the correct answer is "was taken".Rate this question:
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- 2.
While I ____________________ to work a dog ran across the road.
- A.
Was driving
- B.
Drove
- C.
Was drove
- D.
Driving
Correct Answer
A. Was drivingExplanation
The correct answer is "was driving." This is because the sentence is in the past continuous tense, indicating an ongoing action in the past. The verb "drive" needs to be conjugated in the past continuous form, which is "was driving."Rate this question:
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- 3.
I saw that during the exam the students __________________ .
- A.
Was copying
- B.
Copy
- C.
Were copying
- D.
Copyed
Correct Answer
C. Were copyingExplanation
During the exam, the students were copying. This is the correct answer because the verb "saw" is in the past tense, indicating that the action of seeing occurred in the past. Additionally, the word "students" is plural, so the verb should also be in the plural form "were copying" to agree with the subject.Rate this question:
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- 4.
Elizabeth came into the room and ___________________ the door.
- A.
Has shut
- B.
Shut
- C.
Was shutting
- D.
Has closed
Correct Answer
B. ShutExplanation
Elizabeth came into the room and shut the door.Rate this question:
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- 5.
What ________________ at six o'clock this morning?
- A.
Were you doing
- B.
Did you doing
- C.
Do you do
- D.
Did you
Correct Answer
A. Were you doingExplanation
The correct answer is "were you doing". This is the correct answer because the question is asking about an action that was happening in the past at a specific time (six o'clock this morning). The phrase "were you doing" is the correct past continuous tense form of the verb "do" to use in this context.Rate this question:
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- 6.
What _______________________ for breakfast this morning?
- A.
Were you having
- B.
Had you
- C.
Did you have
- D.
Was you having
Correct Answer
C. Did you haveExplanation
The correct answer is "did you have". This is because the question is asking about what the person had for breakfast this morning, and the phrase "did you have" is the correct way to form a question in the past tense.Rate this question:
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- 7.
She ______________ to talk to a friend.
- A.
Stopped
- B.
Was stopping
- C.
Did stop
- D.
Were stopping
Correct Answer
A. StoppedExplanation
The correct answer is "stopped" because it is the past tense form of the verb "stop." In the given sentence, the action of talking to a friend has already been completed in the past. Therefore, "stopped" is the appropriate verb form to indicate this.Rate this question:
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- 8.
When she ____________________ the news she ________________ crying.
- A.
Was seeing - was starting
- B.
Saw - was starting
- C.
Saw - started
- D.
Was seeing - started
Correct Answer
C. Saw - startedExplanation
The correct answer is "saw - started". This is because the past tense "saw" indicates that she witnessed or became aware of the news at a specific point in the past. The verb "started" in the past tense indicates that she began crying immediately after learning the news.Rate this question:
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- 9.
I ________________ in England when I ______________ John.
- A.
Was living - was meeting
- B.
Lived - met
- C.
Was living - met
- D.
Lived - met
Correct Answer
C. Was living - metExplanation
The correct answer is "was living - met". This is because the verb "was living" is in the past continuous tense, indicating an ongoing action in the past. The verb "met" is in the simple past tense, indicating a completed action in the past. This combination suggests that the speaker was in the process of living in England when they had the specific encounter with John.Rate this question:
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- 10.
She _________________ some was fish and ______________ ill immediately.
- A.
Was eating - felt
- B.
Ate - felt
- C.
Was eating - was feeling
- D.
Was eating - was feeling
Correct Answer
B. Ate - feltExplanation
The correct answer is "ate - felt" because the past tense form of "eat" is "ate" and it indicates a completed action. The word "felt" is the correct verb to describe the immediate consequence of eating the fish, indicating that the person became ill after eating it.Rate this question:
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Current Version
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Mar 15, 2023Quiz Edited by
ProProfs Editorial Team -
Nov 20, 2012Quiz Created by
Sarah Suzanne
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