Past Progressive vs Past Perfect Progressive Exercises

Past Progressive vs Past Perfect Progressive Exercises

Choose the correct tense in each sentence

Click the correct option to complete each sentence. The sentence will fill in automatically, and your score will update at the top.

Explanation: Past Progressive vs Past Perfect Progressive

Past Progressive is used for an action that was in progress at a particular time in the past.

[*Das Past Progressive verwendet man für eine Handlung, die zu einem bestimmten Zeitpunkt in der Vergangenheit gerade im Gange war.*]

Example: At 8 p.m., she was studying.
[*Um 20 Uhr lernte sie gerade.*]

Past Perfect Progressive is used for an action that had been in progress before another point or action in the past.

[*Das Past Perfect Progressive verwendet man für eine Handlung, die schon vor einem anderen Zeitpunkt oder einer anderen Handlung in der Vergangenheit im Gange war.*]

Example: She had been studying for two hours before dinner started.
[*Sie hatte schon seit zwei Stunden gelernt, bevor das Abendessen begann.*]

Simple Rule

  • Past Progressive = action in progress in the past
  • Past Perfect Progressive = longer action in progress before another past moment

[*Past Progressive = eine laufende Handlung in der Vergangenheit / Past Perfect Progressive = eine schon vorher laufende Handlung vor einem anderen vergangenen Zeitpunkt*]

Score: 0 / 25
1. At 7 o’clock, I ______ dinner.
a) was cooking b) had been cooking
[*Um 7 Uhr kochte ich gerade das Abendessen.*]
2. She was tired because she ______ all morning.
a) was working b) had been working
[*Sie war müde, weil sie den ganzen Morgen gearbeitet hatte.*]
3. While we were walking home, it ______.
a) was raining b) had been raining
[*Während wir nach Hause gingen, regnete es gerade.*]
4. The ground was wet because it ______ for hours.
a) had been raining b) was raining
[*Der Boden war nass, weil es stundenlang geregnet hatte.*]
5. When I called, they ______ a meeting.
a) were having b) had been having
[*Als ich anrief, hatten sie gerade eine Besprechung.*]
6. They were exhausted because they ______ all day.
a) were working b) had been working
[*Sie waren erschöpft, weil sie den ganzen Tag gearbeitet hatten.*]
7. At midnight, the children ______.
a) had been sleeping b) were sleeping
[*Um Mitternacht schliefen die Kinder gerade.*]
8. He felt confident because he ______ for weeks.
a) had been practicing b) was practicing
[*Er fühlte sich sicher, weil er wochenlang geübt hatte.*]
9. She ______ on the phone when I entered the room.
a) was talking b) had been talking
[*Sie telefonierte gerade, als ich den Raum betrat.*]
10. He was out of breath because he ______.
a) was running b) had been running
[*Er war außer Atem, weil er gerannt war.*]
11. At that moment, we ______ for the bus.
a) were waiting b) had been waiting
[*In diesem Moment warteten wir gerade auf den Bus.*]
12. They were annoyed because they ______ for over an hour.
a) had been waiting b) were waiting
[*Sie waren verärgert, weil sie schon über eine Stunde gewartet hatten.*]
13. When the lights went out, I ______ a report.
a) was writing b) had been writing
[*Als das Licht ausging, schrieb ich gerade einen Bericht.*]
14. Her hand hurt because she ______ for hours.
a) was typing b) had been typing
[*Ihre Hand tat weh, weil sie stundenlang getippt hatte.*]
15. At 9 p.m., they ______ a film.
a) had been watching b) were watching
[*Um 21 Uhr sahen sie gerade einen Film.*]
16. They knew the route well because they ______ it for months.
a) had been studying b) were studying
[*Sie kannten die Strecke gut, weil sie sie monatelang studiert hatten.*]
17. While the teacher was speaking, the students ______ notes.
a) were taking b) had been taking
[*Während der Lehrer sprach, machten die Schüler gerade Notizen.*]
18. The streets were dirty because workers ______ there all week.
a) were repairing b) had been repairing
[*Die Straßen waren schmutzig, weil die Arbeiter dort die ganze Woche gearbeitet hatten.*]
19. When I looked outside, snow ______.
a) was falling b) had been falling
[*Als ich nach draußen schaute, fiel gerade Schnee.*]
20. The roads were dangerous because snow ______ since early morning.
a) had been falling b) was falling
[*Die Straßen waren gefährlich, weil seit dem frühen Morgen Schnee gefallen war.*]
21. At that time, my brother ______ in London.
a) was living b) had been living
[*Zu dieser Zeit lebte mein Bruder gerade in London.*]
22. He felt at home because he ______ there for several years.
a) was living b) had been living
[*Er fühlte sich dort wie zu Hause, weil er dort schon mehrere Jahre gelebt hatte.*]
23. When the manager arrived, we ______ the problem.
a) were discussing b) had been discussing
[*Als der Manager ankam, diskutierten wir gerade das Problem.*]
24. We understood it well because we ______ it for a long time.
a) had been discussing b) were discussing
[*Wir verstanden es gut, weil wir es lange besprochen hatten.*]
25. At 6 a.m., the workers ______ on the bridge.
a) had been working b) were working
[*Um 6 Uhr arbeiteten die Arbeiter gerade an der Brücke.*]