Open the brackets. Use either the Past Continuous or Past Indefinite.

(A)

1) Sally (to burn) her wrist when she (to cook) the dinner.

2) Last night I (to read) in bed when suddenly I (to hear) a scream.

3) We (not to go) out because it (to rain).

4) One day I (to play) by the big window in our front room where I used to sit on wet days looking at the rain.

5) When Sid (to be) young, he (to work) from morning till night.

6) While he (to read) aloud, I (to write) a letter to my friend.

7) Last night my neighbours (to shout) for hours and I couldn't get to sleep.

8) The whole day yesterday Nick (to get) ready for his report.

9) What you (to do) at this time yesterday?

10) The phone still (to ring) when I (to rush) into the room.

11) I (not to drive) very fast when the accident (to happen).

12) I (to make) the tea while Jimmy (to clean) the car.

13) Isabel always (to ask) difficult questions to answer when she (to be) a little girl.

14) Ann (to break) a plate last night. She (to do) the washing-up when it (to slip) out of her hand.

15) At this time yesterday the students (to have) a Grammar test.

16) Malcolm (to fall) off the ladder while he (to paint) the ceiling.

17) We (to enjoy) the film when suddenly the electricity (to go) off.

18) He (to open) the book and (to start) to read.

19) Last night at 9.35 the Director of school (to walk) from the office to his car when somebody (to attack) him from behind.

20) Everyone was having a good time, although not many people (to dance).

 

(B)

Last night I (1) (to be) alone at home. I (2) (to lie) on my bed and I (3) (to watch) TV when I (4) (to hear) a strange noise. The noise (5) (to come) from the kitchen. I (6) (to go) downstairs, (7) (to pick up) a heavy vase from the table and (8) (to head for) the kitchen. I (9) (to open) the door very slowly. Then I (10) (to see) someone. He (11) (to search) in the fridge. I (12) (to be) so frightened that I (13) (to drop) the vase I (14) (to carry) and it (15) (to crash) onto the floor. The man (16) (to turn) towards the door and I (17) (to see) his face. It (18) (to be) my husband!

 

(C)

Tom went back to the camp the following morning, but it (1) (to be) in some confusion. Soldiers (2) (to wander) around carrying equipment from one place to another, but there (3) (not to seem) to be any purpose to what they (4) (to do). Tom had never beenin an army camp before and he (5) (not to know) what to do. He (6) (to try) to phone the newspaper, but something (7) (to be) wrong with the telephone lines. He (8) (to try) to find out what exactly (9) (to go on), when the first plane (10) (to appear). A wooden building a few hundred yards away suddenly (11) (to disappear) in an explosion of flame. Soon bombs (12) (to explode) all round him. Smoke (13) (to rise) from burning buildings. And suddenly everything (14) (to go) quiet.

 

 

(D)

It was a typical summer afternoon; the sun (1) (to shine) brightly, the cars (2) (to creep) slowly round the corner of the park. Five or six children (3) (to play) in the stream by the fountain, jumping in and out of the water, their laughter mixing with the noise of the traffic. All the world (4) (to wear) shorts or T-shirts, or bathing costumes; yet Walter Harrison, sitting on a park bench in his overcoat, (5) (to feel) cold and lonely. After a few minutes he (6) (to get up) and (7) (to walk) through the park gates. His adventure was about to begin…

He (8) (to stop) just before putting his key in the front door. Something (9) (to happen) in the back garden. Quietly he (10) (to creep) around the side of the house and (11) (to look) through the gate. Two men (12) (to stand) at the back of the house, holding a ladder. A third man was at the top of the ladder and a fourth inside the house: he (13) (to pass) furniture through the window to his partner. All four (14) (to work) quietly and efficiently and the pile of furniture in the garden (15) (to get) bigger and bigger. Walter couldn't believe his eyes: the strangers (16) (to empty) his flat, and they (17) (to behave) as if it was the most normal thing in the world. He (18) (to cough) loudly and then (19) (to say), "Excuse me!" – and the man at the top of the ladder (20) (to drop) his portable TV onto the concrete below.

 

(E)

The other day I (1) (to happen) to finish work earlier than usual. The weather was charming, so I (2) (to decide) to take a walk. When I (3) (to pass) by one of the numerous pubs, it (4) (to occur) to me that I could do with a bottle of beer and (5) (to enter) the bar. There (6) (to be) not many customers in it. Several men and women (7) (to have) their lunch at the tables, others (8) (to stand) at the bar and (9) (to drink) beer. I (10) (to take) a seat and (11) (to order) a bottle of beer. While I (12) (to drink) my beer, the place (13) (to be filled) with visitors. When I (14) (to be going) to leave the bar, it (15) (to begin) to rain. I (16) (to wait) a few minutes, but the rain (17) (not to stop). The strange part of it was that there (18) (to be) no clouds in the sky and the sun (19) (to shine) brightly, and yet it (20) (to rain) hard.

 

Oral Activity

The Alibi Game

A murder happened at 11 o'clock last night. Two students are the main suspects. They leave the classroom and must create an alibi to prove their innocence (where they were, what they did, what they were wearing, etc.). In the meantime the rest of the class take the role of detectives and think of questions to ask them. Each "suspect" (student) enters the class and is questioned separately. If their answers are not the same, then they are accused of committing the murder. Students should use the Past Continuous and/or the Past Indefinite in their questions.

 

Written Activity

 

Your house has been robbed. Using the notes from the list below, write a report to the police.

go – return – get out –see men –carry – jump – run after – disappear – go into – realise – steal – clothes lie – take my wife's necklace – find glove – drop – call police

... Last night I went to the cinema. I returned home at 10.30. While I was getting out of the car, I saw two men wearing masks coming out of the house. One of them was carrying a big bag...