1) Put the verbs in brackets into the Simple Past or the Past Continuous:
1) When he (enter) the room, the children (play) with their toys.
2) He (write) his essay when somebody (knock) at the door .
3) The players (train) the whole day yesterday.
4) While she (listen) to the concert, her brother (play) with a noisy toy car.
5) He (stand) a long time in the darkest corner of the room.
6) When the doorbell (ring) she (sleep).
7) The young man (jump) on to the bus while it (run).
8) The little boy (help) himself to another slice of cake when his mother (not look).
9) When the train (arrive) many travellers (wait) on the platform.
10) The electric power (go off) while they (listen) to the radio programme.
11) The fire (burn) brightly when the hikers (reach) the chalet.
12) They (realize) they (travel) in the wrong direction.
13) She (clean) the mirror when it (break).
14) While he (drive) the lorry, a tyre (burst).
15) The guests enjoy themselves when the landlady (tell) them they (have) to leave the house.

2) Put the verbs in brackets into the Simple Past or the Past Continuous:
1) The track (lead) us through the tick jungle where the tress (hang) over us forming a dark roof. Although the sun (shine) its rays (fail) penetrate the heavy green foliage.
2) While I (pump) up my bicycle tyres, a man (look) in over the wall and (ask) me the way to the police-station.
3) While we (stay) in London the dome of St. Paul's (be repaired). It (be repaired) still when I (return) to London a year late.
4) Towards dusk we (come) to a little inn which (stand) on the outskirts of the village. Some church bells (ring) a smoke (rise) from numerous cottage chimneys. The inn itself (be most) pleasant. The landlord (show) us into a large room where a cheerful fire (burn).
5) Napoleon III (live) in England when he (die).
6) I (see) your aunt yesterday. She (wear) a white hat and (carry) a blue bag.
7) It (rain) . I (put) on my mackintosh, (go) out of the front door and (cross) the road to catch the bus which (wait) there. The driver (smoke) a cigarette and (talk) to the conductor.
8) By the time they (arrive) it (rain) hard.
9) The bricklayers (go) on strike on Tuesday morning. When I (look) out of the window, they all (stand) about in the street with their hands in their pockets. They (wait) for the mass meeting that was to take place that afternoon.
10) He (put) the kettle on and while he (wait) for it to boil he (ring) up the Regal Cinema to find out what film they (show).