My brother ____ his arm while he was playing football.
- A. broke(correct answer)
- B. was breaking
- C. breaks
- D. breaked
Why: Playing football is the long action. Breaking an arm happened in the middle of it: past simple. Break is irregular: broke.
A212 questions · Elementary · Tenses and Time
Past Simple vs. Past Continuous Exercises with Answers
Was cooking or cooked? Practise telling a story in the past: the long action, the short one that cuts in, two things at once, one thing after another, and when or while. Answers and short explanations included.
12 questions
Sample questions with answers
They ____ TV when I got home, so they didn't hear me.
- A. were watching(correct answer)
- B. watched
- C. are watching
- D. was watching
Why: They were in the middle of watching when I got home. Use were with they.
Lan ____ her coat, paid for the coffee and left the café.
- A. put on(correct answer)
- B. was putting on
- C. puts on
- D. putted on
Why: Three actions, one after another: all past simple. Put does not change in the past.
Lessons on this topic
- Past Simple vs. Past Continuous
How to choose between the past simple and the past continuous: an action cut short, two actions at once, a sequence of events, and when vs. while.
