Exercises on Simple Past

The simple past expresses an action in the past taking place once, never, several times. It can also be used for
actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another action.

Form of Simple Past

Positive Negative Question

no differences I spoke. I did not speak. Did I speak?

For irregular verbs, use the past form (see list of irregular verbs, 2nd column). For regular verbs, just add “ed”.

Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ‘ed’

Exceptions in spelling when adding ed Example

after a final e only add d love – loved

final consonant after a short, stressed vowel admit – admitted

or l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled travel – travelled

final y after a consonant becomes i hurry – hurried

Use of Simple Past

 action in the past taking place once, never or several times
Example: He visited his parents every weekend.

 actions in the past taking place one after the other

Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down.

 action in the past taking place in the middle of another action

Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.

 if sentences type II (If I talked, …)

Example: If I had a lot of money, I would share it with you.

Signal Words of Simple Past

 yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday
 (If I talked, …)
Test on Simple Past 1
Test your knowledge on the Simple Past. After submitting your answers, you will see how well you have done in
the test.

Test
Write the past forms of the irregular verbs.

1. go →

2. come →

3. buy →

4. have →

5. do →

Complete the table in simple past.

positive negative question

Jane was tired.

Sean did not work.

Did I have a cat?

Mary did not sing.

Did she see us?

Put the sentences into simple past.

1. We open the door. →

2. You write poems. →

3. Richard plays in the garden. →

4. Kerry does not speak English. →

5. Do you see the bird? →

Write sentences in simple past.

1. you / cards / play

2. I / a car / want

3. we / the game / lose

4. not / I / early / get up

5. not / Jeff and Linda / home / cycle

„Was“ or „Were“?

1. I hungry.

2. You in Australia last year.

3. She not there.

4. Charly Chaplin a famous actor.

5. Lisa and James at home.

Ask for the bold part of the sentence.

1. Billy ate an apple.

2. The children played in the garden.

3. Laura came home at six o'clock.

4. The boy read a book.

5. The girl wrote five letters.

Test
Write the past forms of the irregular verbs.
1. go → went
2. come → came
3. buy → bought
4. have → had
5. do → did

Complete the table in simple past.

positive negative question

Jane was tired. Jane was not tired. Was Jane tired?
Sean worked. Sean did not work. Did Sean work?

I had a cat. I did not have a cat. Did I have a cat?

Mary sang. Mary did not sing. Did Mary sing?

She saw us. She did not see us. Did she see us?

Put the sentences into simple past.

1. We open the door. → We opened the door.
2. You write poems. → You wrote poems.
3. Richard plays in the garden. → Richard played in the garden.
4. Kerry does not speak English. → Kerry did not speak English.
5. Do you see the bird? → Did you see the bird?

Write sentences in simple past.

1. You played cards.
2. I wanted a car.
3. We lost the game.
4. I did not get up early.
5. Jeff and Linda did not cycle home.

„Was“ or „Were“?
1. I was hungry.
2. You were in Australia last year.
3. She was not there.
4. Charly Chaplin was a famous actor.
5. Lisa and James were at home.

Ask for the bold part of the sentence.

1. Billy ate an apple. What did Billy eat?
2. The children played in the garden. Where did the children play?
3. Laura came home at six o'clock. When did Laura come home?
4. The boy read a book. Who read a book?
5. The girl wrote five letters. How many letters did the girl write?
Past Progressive (Past Continuous)
Exercises on Past Progressive

The past progressive puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past.

Form
Positive Negative Question

I / he / she / it I was speaking. I was not speaking. Was I speaking?

you / we / they You were speaking. You were not speaking. Were you speaking?

Exceptions in Spelling
Exceptions in spelling when adding ing Example

final e is dropped (but: ee is not changed) come – coming

(but: agree – agreeing)

after a short, stressed vowel, the final consonant is doubled sit – sitting

l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled (in British English) travel – travelling

final ie becomes y lie – lying

Use of Past Progressive

 puts emphasis on the course of an action in the past
Example: He was playing football.

 two actions happening at the same time (in the past)

Example: While she was preparing dinner, he was washing the dishes.

 action going on at a certain time in the past

Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.

Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ing

Write down the ing form of the following words. Mind the exceptions in spelling.
1. live →

2. run →

3. give →

4. swim →

5. lie →

6. sit →

7. travel →
Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ing
Write down the ing form of the following words. Mind the exceptions in spelling.

1. live → living
2. run → running
3. give → giving
4. swim → swimming
5. lie → lying
6. sit → sitting
7. travel → travelling

Test on Past Progressive 1

Test your knowledge on the Past Progressive. After submitting your answers, you will see how well you have done
in the test.

Test
Write the ing form of the verbs.

1. live →

2. stay →

3. run →

4. win →

5. cycle →

Complete the table in past progressive.

positive negative question

It was raining.

They were not playing.

Was I listening?

Caron was not eating.

You were singing.

Was or Were?

1. We dancing.

2. The dog barking.

3. The printer printing out a photograph.

4. The pupils writing a test.

5. Sue and Gareth walking up the hill.

Write sentences in past progressive.

1. he / the car / wash →

2. she / home / go →

3. they / not / the match / watch →

4. you / in the shop / work →

5. I / not / a magazine / read →

Write questions in past progressive.

1. she / on a chair / sit →

2. you / your bag / pack →

3. his head / ache →

4. we / tea / drink →

5. you / the bike / repair →

Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence.

1. Jamie was doing a language course in London. →

2. Andrew was carrying a heavy box. →

3. The teacher was testing our English. →

4. At six o'clock, we were having dinner. →

5. Sally was hurrying to school because she was late. →

Test
Write the ing form of the verbs.
1. live → living
2. stay → staying
3. run → running
4. win → winning
5. cycle → cycling

Complete the table in past progressive.

positive negative question

It was raining. It was not raining. Was it raining?

They were playing. They were not playing. Were they playing?

I was listening. I was not listening. Was I listening?

Caron was eating. Caron was not eating. Was Caron eating?

You were singing. You were not singing. Were you singing?

Was or Were?
1. We were dancing.
2. The dog was barking.
3. The printer was printing out a photograph.
4. The pupils were writing a test.
5. Sue and Gareth were walking up the hill.

Write sentences in past progressive.

1. he / the car / wash → He was washing the car.
2. she / home / go → She was going home.
3. they / not / the match / watch → They were not watching the match.
4. you / in the shop / work → You were working in the shop.
5. I / not / a magazine / read → I was not reading a magazine.

Write questions in past progressive.

1. she / on a chair / sit → Was she sitting on a chair?
2. you / your bag / pack → Were you packing your bag?
3. his head / ache → Was his head aching?
4. we / tea / drink → Were we drinking tea?
5. you / the bike / repair → Were you repairing the bike?

Ask for the information in the bold part of the sentence.

1. Jamie was doing a language course in London. → Where was Jamie doing a language course?
2. Andrew was carrying a heavy box. → What was Andrew carrying?
3. The teacher was testing our English. → Who was testing our English?
4. At six o'clock, we were having dinner. → When were we having dinner?
5. Sally was hurrying to school because she was late. → Why was Sally hurrying to school?

Simple Past or Past Progressive

Exercise 1
Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).

1. While Tom (read) , Amely (watch) a documentary on TV.

2. Marvin (come) home, (switch) on the computer and (check)

his emails.

3. The thief (sneak) into the house, (steal) the jewels and (leave)
without a trace.

4. Nobody (listen) while the teacher (explain) the tenses.

5. While we (do) a sight-seeing tour, our friends (lie) on the beach.

6. He (wake) up and (look) at his watch.

Simple Past or Past Progressive

Exercise 1
Put the verbs into the correct tense (Simple Past or Past Progressive).
1. While Tom was reading, Amely was watching a documentary on TV.
2. Marvin came home, switched on the computer and checked his emails.
3. The thief sneaked into the house, stole the jewels and left without a trace.
4. Nobody was listening while the teacher was explaining the tenses.
5. While we were doing a sight-seeing tour, our friends were lying on the beach.
6. He woke up and looked at his watch.