Grammar 7th grade worksheet - Free Printable

Let's solve this grammar exercise step by step. We'll use Past Simple and Past Continuous tenses appropriately.

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1. Complete sentences by using Past Simple and Past Continuous:

We use:
- Past Continuous: for actions that were in progress at a specific time in the past.
- Past Simple: for completed actions or events in the past.

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#### a) My dad ________ (listen) to classical music when I ________ (arrive) home from school.

- "When I arrived" is a point in time, so the action of arriving is Past Simple.
- The listening was ongoing at that moment → Past Continuous.

✔ My dad was listening to classical music when I arrived home from school.

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#### b) My cousin ________ (meet) his wife, Bianca, while he ________ (live) in Italy.

- "While he lived" indicates an ongoing situation (living in Italy).
- Meeting Bianca is a completed event during that time → Past Simple.

✔ My cousin met his wife, Bianca, while he was living in Italy.

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#### c) While they ________ (try) to fix the computer, all the lights ________ (go out).

- "While they were trying" shows an ongoing action.
- "The lights went out" is a sudden, completed event.

✔ While they were trying to fix the computer, all the lights went out.

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#### d) When you ________ (see) Paul, he ________ (wear) a black jacket?

- "When you saw" is a specific point in time.
- "Was he wearing?" describes what he was doing at that moment.

✔ When you saw Paul, he was wearing a black jacket?
(Note: The question form should be: *Was he wearing...?* – but since the sentence starts with "When you saw...", it's likely meant to be a yes/no question.)

So correct version:
✔ When you saw Paul, was he wearing a black jacket?

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#### e) While Dad ________ (print) an article, the printer ________ (run out) of paper.

- "While Dad was printing" = ongoing action.
- "The printer ran out" = sudden interruption.

✔ While Dad was printing an article, the printer ran out of paper.

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✔ Summary of Part 1:

a) was listening, arrived
b) met, was living
c) were trying, went out
d) saw, was wearing
e) was printing, ran out

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2. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verbs in the Past Simple and the Past Continuous.

> A few months ago, Becky O'Brien, 16, was at the beach with her two young cousins. She (look after) was looking after them for the afternoon.

Now continue:

> While the two boys (play) ________ with a ball, Becky (open) ________ her book and (read) ________.

- "While the two boys played" → ongoing action → were playing
- "Becky opened" → single action → opened
- "and read" → another completed action → read (simple past)

✔ While the two boys were playing with a ball, Becky opened her book and read.

> Suddenly, while she (read) ________, the ball (fly) ________ past her head and (land) ________ behind some rocks.

- "while she was reading" → continuous action
- "the ball flew" → sudden movement → flew
- "landed" → completed → landed

✔ while she was reading, the ball flew past her head and landed behind some rocks.

> 'Be careful' she (shout) ________ to the boys.

- Shouting is a quick, completed action → shouted

✔ 'Be careful,' she shouted to the boys.

> Then she (get up) ________ to find the ball.

- Completed action → got up

✔ Then she got up to find the ball.

> As she (look) ________ for the ball, she (see) ________ something.

- "As she was looking" → ongoing search → was looking
- "she saw" → sudden discovery → saw

✔ As she was looking for the ball, she saw something.

> She (stop) ________ and (look) ________ at it closely.

- Stopped → stopped
- Looked → looked

✔ She stopped and looked at it closely.

> It was a very large tooth. She (look) ________ at part of a dinosaur over 100 million years old.

- "She looked" → observed → looked

✔ She looked at part of a dinosaur over 100 million years old.

> Later, archaeologists (remove) ________ the dinosaur and (take) ________ it to a local museum.

- Both are completed actions in the past → removed, took

✔ Later, archaeologists removed the dinosaur and took it to a local museum.

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✔ Final Answer for Part 2:

> A few months ago, Becky O'Brien, 16, was at the beach with her two young cousins. She was looking after them for the afternoon. While the two boys were playing with a ball, Becky opened her book and read. Suddenly, while she was reading, the ball flew past her head and landed behind some rocks. 'Be careful,' she shouted to the boys. Then she got up to find the ball. As she was looking for the ball, she saw something. She stopped and looked at it closely. It was a very large tooth. She looked at part of a dinosaur over 100 million years old. Later, archaeologists removed the dinosaur and took it to a local museum.

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✔ Key Grammar Rules Used:

| Tense | Use |
|------|-----|
| Past Continuous | Ongoing actions in the past (often with *while*, *as*, *when*) |
| Past Simple | Completed actions, events, or interruptions |

Remember:
- While + Past Continuous = background action
- When + Past Simple = interrupting event

Let me know if you'd like this turned into a printable corrected version!