Past Simple
Past Continuous
WHEN/WHILE
Error Police
Master Combo
100

Complete: She _____ (buy) a new bike last week

bought

100

Complete: At 8 PM yesterday, they _____ (watch) TV.

were watching

100

Choose: I was reading a book _____ the lights went out.

when

100

Correct the mistake: They was playing football in the park.

hey WERE playing football...

100

Complete: I _____ (sleep) when my alarm clock _____ (ring).

was sleeping / rang

200

Complete in negative: We _____ (not go) to the beach yesterday.

did not go /didn't go

200

Complete in negative: My brother _____ (not study) at 5 o'clock.

wasn't studying/ was not studying

200

Choose: _____ we were walking home, it started to rain.

while
200

Correct the mistake: She didn't went to school last Friday.

She didn't GO to school...

200

Complete: While Sarah _____ (cook) dinner, she _____ (burn) her hand.

was cooking / burnt (burned)

300

Complete the question: _____ (you / see) Paul at the party last night?

did you see

300

Complete the question: What _____ (you / do) when I called you?

were you doing

300

Which connector usually goes before a short, interrupting action in Past Simple?

when

300

Correct the mistake: I was seeing a strange dog while I walked home.

I SAW a strange dog...

300

Complete: The phone _____ (ring) while we _____ (have) lunch.

rang / were having

400

Give the irregular past forms of these 3 verbs: teach, fall, catch.

taught, fell, caught

400

Complete for parallel actions: While dad _____ (listen) to music, mum _____ (read) a book.

was listening/was reading

400

Rewrite using 'WHEN': While I was taking a shower, the doorbell rang.

I was taking a shower WHEN the doorbell rang.

400

Correct the mistake: While we listened to the teacher, a student entered the room.

While we WERE LISTENING to the teacher...

400

Complete: They _____ (not play) video games when their parents _____ (arrive) home.

weren't playing / arrived

500

Complete the sequence of actions: She _____ (open) her bag, _____ (take) out the keys and _____ (unlock) the door.

opened/took/unlocked

500

Translate to English: "¿Qué estabais haciendo ayer a las 7 de la tarde?"

What were you doing yesterday at 7PM?

500

Explain the rule: Which tense usually comes after 'while' and which after 'when'?

While + Past Continuous; When + Past Simple.

500

Correct BOTH mistakes: While I studied, the phone was ringing.

While I WAS STUDYING, the phone RANG.

500

Translate to English: "Estábamos estudiando cuando el teléfono sonó."

We were studying when the phone rang.