PAST SIMPLE VS PAST CONTINUOUS

 

ICFES PRACTICE

 

July 24^th, 2026

ICFES Reading Practice

Read and write the texts carefully and answer the questions.

Choose the best answer (A, B, C or D).

 

TEXT 1

Too Much Screen Time?

Many teenagers spend several hours every day using social media. Although these platforms help people communicate and learn new things, spending too much time online can have negative effects. Some students sleep less because they stay awake checking their phones. Others compare themselves to unrealistic images, which may affect their self-esteem.

Experts suggest setting daily limits for social media use and spending more time doing activities such as exercising, reading, or talking face-to-face with friends.

Questions

1. What is the main idea of the text?

A. Teenagers should stop using technology completely.
B. Social media has benefits, but excessive use can cause problems.
C. Reading books is more entertaining than using social media.
D. All teenagers have low self-esteem.

 

2. According to the text, one consequence of excessive social media use is:

A. Better academic performance.
B. Sleeping fewer hours.
C. Making more real-life friends.
D. Learning more languages.

 

3. The word "limits" is closest in meaning to:

A. Rules
B. Problems
C. Devices
D. Pictures

 

TEXT 2

The Power of Small Habits

People often believe that success comes from making huge changes. However, research shows that small daily habits can produce great results over time. Reading ten pages every day, walking for twenty minutes, or learning five new words each morning may not seem important at first. After several months, these simple actions become significant achievements.

The secret is consistency, not perfection.

Questions

4. What is the author's purpose?

A. To explain why perfection is necessary.
B. To encourage people to develop positive habits.
C. To describe different careers.
D. To criticize people who exercise.

 

5. Which statement is TRUE according to the text?

A. Only big changes lead to success.
B. Daily habits have no long-term effect.
C. Small actions repeated consistently can create important results.
D. Success depends mainly on talent.

6. The word "consistency" refers to:

A. Doing something regularly.
B. Changing your plans every day.
C. Working very fast.
D. Being perfect all the time.

 

TEXT 3

A School Recycling Project

Last year, students at Green Valley School started a recycling campaign. At first, only a few students participated, but after teachers explained the environmental benefits, more people joined. By the end of the school year, the project had reduced the amount of waste sent to landfills by 35%.

The students also discovered that teamwork was just as important as recycling itself.

Questions

7. Why did more students join the project?

A. They received money.
B. Teachers explained why recycling was important.
C. Recycling became mandatory.
D. They wanted extra homework.

 

8. What can be inferred from the last sentence?

A. Recycling only works with expensive equipment.
B. Cooperation helped the project succeed.
C. Students preferred working alone.
D. Teachers completed most of the work.

 

9. What is the main purpose of the text?

A. To describe a successful environmental initiative.
B. To explain how landfills are built.
C. To compare different schools.
D. To criticize recycling campaigns.

WORKSHOP

 

Today is thursday, july 

Workshop

A. Vocabulary

Match the words with the correct picture or meaning.

1.                  Teacher ___

2.                  Backpack ___

3.                  Library ___

4.                  Pencil ___

5.                  Classroom ___

a. A place where you read books.
b. A person who teaches.
c. A bag for school.
d. A place where students study.
e. You use it to write.

 

B. Verb To Be

Complete with am, is, or are.

1.                  I ______ twelve years old.

2.                  She ______ my best friend.

3.                  They ______ in the classroom.

4.                  We ______ students.

5.                  It ______ a big school.

 

C. There is / There are

Complete with There is or There are.

1.                  __________ a computer in the classroom.

2.                  __________ five desks.

3.                  __________ two windows.

4.                  __________ a teacher.

5.                  __________ many students.

 

D. Present Simple

Choose the correct answer.

1.                  My brother ______ soccer every weekend.

• a) play
• b) plays
• c) playing

2.                  We ______ English on Mondays.

• a) study
• b) studies
• c) studying

3.                  She ______ TV after school.

• a) watch
• b) watches
• c) watching

4.                  They ______ breakfast at 7:00.

• a) eat
• b) eats
• c) eating

5.                  I ______ my homework every day.

• a) do
• b) does
• c) doing

 

E. Write

Write 10 sentences about your classroom using There is/There are and the Present Simple.

WORKSHOP

 

 

Write on your notebook

Workshop

A. Vocabulary

Choose the correct word.

1. A person who helps sick people is a:

• a) mechanic
• b) doctor
• c) chef

2. The opposite of expensive is:

• a) cheap
• b) fast
• c) clean

3. You use a ______ to search the Internet.

• a) computer
• b) sofa
• c) bicycle

4. A synonym of happy is:

• a) sad
• b) joyful
• c) angry

5. You wear these on your feet:

• a) gloves
• b) shoes
• c) hat

 

B. Present Simple & Present Continuous

Complete with the correct form of the verb.

1. She usually __________ (study) at night.

2. They __________ (play) soccer now.

3. My parents __________ (work) every day.

4. I __________ (do) my homework at the moment.

5. He never __________ (eat) fast food.

 

C. Past Simple

Complete with the correct form.

1. We __________ (visit) our grandparents last weekend.

2. She __________ (go) to school yesterday.

3. They __________ (watch) a movie last night.

4. I __________ (have) breakfast at 8:00.

5. He __________ (not/play) soccer.

 

D. Future (Will / Going to)

Choose the best answer.

1. Look at those clouds! It ______ rain.

• a) will
• b) is going to

2. I think Colombia ______ win.

• a) will
• b) is going to

3. We ______ visit our grandparents next weekend. (already planned)

• a) will
• b) are going to

4. I promise I ______ help you.

• a) will
• b) am going to

5. They ______ buy a new car next month. (planned)

• a) will
• b) are going to

 

E. Writing

Write 6–8 sentences about yourself. Include:

• Present Simple
• Present Continuous
• Past Simple
• Will or Going to

Example topics: your daily routine, what you are doing these days, what you did last weekend, and your plans for the future.

IMPORTANT VOCABULARY

 

July 23, 2026

ICFES ENGLISH REVIEW

Answer in English.

1. What do you usually do to prepare for an exam?

2. Which grammar topic is the most difficult for you?

3. Which skill is harder:

• Reading
• Vocabulary
• Grammar
• Inference questions

1. ESSENTIAL VOCABULARY

Education

• assignment
• grade
• subject
• exam
• improve
• achievement
• scholarship
• attend
• graduate
• learn

Environment

• pollution
• climate change
• recycle
• waste
• renewable energy
• wildlife
• forest
• natural resources
• endangered species
• protect

Technology

• device
• internet
• social media
• upload
• download
• password
• website
• online
• artificial intelligence
• digital

Health

• healthy habits
• disease
• exercise
• balanced diet
• avoid
• medicine
• mental health
• stress
• sleep
• treatment

Society

• volunteer
• community
• equality
• opportunity
• responsibility
• rights
• poverty
• education
• respect
• teamwork

 

Vocabulary Exercise

Complete the sentences.

1. We should __________ more plastic bottles.

2. A __________ diet helps people stay healthy.

3. Students take an __________ at the end of the semester.

4. Social __________ can be useful but addictive.

5. Everyone has the right to receive a good __________.

6. Volunteers help the __________.

7. Climate change affects the __________.

8. Students should __________ classes regularly.

9. Good __________ is important for success.

10.             We should protect endangered __________.

 

2. REVIEW

 

1. Present Simple

Use

• routines
• facts
• habits

Examples

I study English every day.

She works in a hospital.

The Earth goes around the Sun.

 

2. Present Continuous

Use

• actions happening now

Examples

I am studying.

They are preparing for the ICFES.

She is reading.

 

Exercise

Choose the correct answer.

1. She ______ every morning.

a) studies

b) is studying

2. Look! They ______ soccer.

a) play

b) are playing

3. My father ______ at a bank.

a) works

b) is working

4. Listen! Someone ______ the piano.

a) plays

b) is playing

 

3. Past Simple

Used for finished actions.

Examples

I visited Bogotá.

She watched TV.

They didn't study.

Did you call him?

 

Exercise

Complete.

1. Yesterday I ______ (go) to school.

2. They ______ (not study).

3. She ______ (eat) pizza.

4. ______ you ______ (watch) the movie?

 

4. Past Continuous

Used for actions in progress in the past.

Examples

I was sleeping.

They were studying.

 

Complete.

1. She ______ (read) when I arrived.

2. They ______ (play) soccer yesterday at 5 pm.

3. I ______ (sleep) when you called.

 

5. Future (Will)

Use

Predictions

Promises

Instant decisions

Examples

I will help you.

It will rain tomorrow.

 

Choose.

1. I think Colombia ______ win.

a) will

b) is going to

2. I forgot my notebook. I ______ borrow yours.

a) will

b) am going to

 

6. Be Going To

Plans

Intentions

Examples

I'm going to study medicine.

She's going to travel.

 

Complete.

1. We __________ visit Medellín next month.

2. He __________ buy a new phone.

 

7. Modal Verbs

Modal	Use
can	ability
could	possibility/past ability
should	advice
must	obligation
might	possibility

Examples

You should study.

Students must respect others.

It might rain.

 

Exercise

Choose the best answer.

1. You ______ wear a seatbelt.

a) can

b) should

c) must

2. I ______ swim when I was six.

a) can

b) could

c) should

3. It ______ rain later.

a) might

b) must

c) should

---

8. Comparatives & Superlatives

Examples

Fast → faster → the fastest

Interesting → more interesting → the most interesting

Good → better → the best

Bad → worse → the worst

 

Complete.

1. English is __________ than math.

2. Mount Everest is the __________ mountain.

3. My sister is __________ than me.

 

9. Quantifiers

some

any

much

many

few

little

a lot of

 

Choose.

1. There are ______ students.

a) much

b) many

2. Do you have ______ money?

a) some

b) any

3. I have ______ friends.

a) a lot of

b) much

 

3. READING PRACTICE

Read the text.

The Importance of Reading

Reading is one of the best ways to improve language skills. People who read regularly usually have a larger vocabulary and better writing abilities. Reading also improves imagination and critical thinking. Nowadays, many people prefer watching videos instead of reading books, but experts recommend reading at least twenty minutes every day.

 

Answer.

1. According to the text, reading helps improve

a) driving

b) vocabulary

c) sports

d) memory

2. Many people prefer

a) studying

b) reading

c) watching videos

d) exercising

3. Experts recommend reading

a) once a week

b) every day

c) every month

d) never

4. The word "regularly" means

a) never

b) often

c) quickly

d) slowly

5. What is the main idea?

a) Reading has many benefits.

b) Reading is difficult.

c) Videos are better.

d) Books are expensive.

 

4. ERROR IDENTIFICATION

Choose the incorrect sentence.

1.  

a) She studies every day.

b) They are playing.

c) He don't like pizza.

d) We live in Colombia.

 

2.  

a) I was reading.

b) She went home.

c) They goed to school.

d) We watched TV.

 

3.  

a) You should study.

b) She can swim.

c) He musts arrive early.

d) They will travel.

 

5. MIXED

Choose the correct answer.

1. If I have time, I ______ you.

a) help

b) will help

c) helped

d) helping

2. My mother ______ dinner now.

a) cooks

b) is cooking

c) cooked

d) cook

3. Yesterday we ______ to the museum.

a) go

b) gone

c) went

d) going

4. She is the ______ student in the class.

a) intelligent

b) more intelligent

c) most intelligent

d) intelligently

5. Students ______ be respectful.

a) should

b) could

c) might

d) can

6. There aren't ______ apples.

a) some

b) much

c) any

d) little

7. We ______ visit our grandparents next weekend.

a) are going to

b) will going

c) go

d) going

8. She has ______ friends than her brother.

a) many

b) more

c) much

d) most

9. The opposite of increase is

a) improve

b) reduce

c) build

d) create

10.             Which sentence is correct?

a) He don't study.

b) She doesn't likes English.

c) They are studying now.

d) I am play soccer.

 

Final

Write a short paragraph (80–100 words).

Topic:

"How can education change a person's future?"

Include:

• Present Simple
• Future (will or be going to)
• At least 5 vocabulary words from today's lesson
• One modal verb (should, can, must, might)