Past Simple

Use of the Past Simple

The Past Simple is used to write and talk about completed actions that happened in a time before the present. It is the basic form of the past tense in
English. Study the following information how to form the simple past and how to form the negation and questions.

Regular Verbs
How to form: Infinitive + ed = 2nd form

Examples: walk + ed   walked

  laugh + ed   laughed
  want + ed   wanted
Note: cry - cried   y»i
carry
    y»i
- carried
  love - loved   no e
  hope - hoped   no e
stop -
    if you speak a short vowel » doubling
stopped
drop
    if you speak a short vowel » doubling
-dropped
Key words: yesterday, last week (month, Monday, October,...), in 1984, ago

Irregular Verbs
1st form 2nd form 1st form 2nd form
am, is was see saw
are were do did
get got take took
go went have had

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Negation of the Past Simple

How to form: didn't (= did not) + 1st form

He didn't go to her last party. They didn't like his story.

BUT: was not (wasn't), were not (weren't), could not (couldn't)

Questions in the Past Simple

How to form: did + 1st form

Did he go to her last party? Did they like his story?

Where did they live? How did she feel?

Question word - did - person - verb

BUT: Was he angry? Were they late? Could they swim?

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 A) Tell the story – fill in the past simple tense

On Friday, the children   (talk) about a day out together in the country. The next morning, they   (go) to the country

with their two dogs and   (play) together. Ben and Dave   (have) some kites. Some time later the dogs   (be)

not there. So they   (call) them and   (look) for them in the forest. After half an hour the children   (find)

them and   (take) them back. Charlie   (be) very happy to see them again. At lunch time Nick   (go) to the

bikes and   (fetch) the basket with some meat sandwiches. Then they   (play) football. Nick and Dave   (win).

In the evening they   (ride) home.

B) Fill in the correct simple past forms.

The students of class 8B   (do) a project last week. First the pupils   (choose) what they wanted to do. Then

they   (get) information from books and brochures, and they   (talk) to a lot of people. They   (find) some

interesting photos in the library. Their teacher   (help) them when they   (ask) her. Then they   (make) a

poster and a video and   (tell) the other groups about their project.

C) A project about Cornwall - Fill in the correct simple past forms.

arrange • bring • choose • decide • find • get • go • say • start

Last month Jenny, Nick and Ben   to do a project together. They   Cornwall. First Jenny   to a travel agency
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and   some brochures. Nick and Ben   some interesting books in the library. Then they   work. A week later

they   all their material to school and   it on a poster. ‘Your presentation is interesting’,   Miss Hunt.

C) Complete these sentences. Use the verbs below.

clean - die - enjoy - end - happen - live - open - play - rain - repair - start - stay - want - watch

1. Yesterday evening I   TV.

2. I only   my teeth four times last week.

3. Bruce   his mountain bike yesterday evening.

4. The concert last night   at 7.30 and   at 10 o'clock.

5. The accident   last Sunday afternoon.

6. When I was a child I   to be a lawyer.

7. Mozart   from 1756 to 1791.

8. We   our holiday last week.

9. Today the weather is nice, but yesterday it  .

10. It was hot in the room, so I   the window.

11. The weather was good yesterday afternoon, so we   tennis.

12. William Shakespeare   in 1616.

D) Put the sentences from the present into the past tense.

1. He always goes to work by car. Yesterday he   to work by bus.

2. They always get up early. This morning they   up late.

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 3. Bill often loses his key. He   one last Saturday.

4. I write a letter to Jane every week. Last week I   two letters.

5. She meets her friends every evening. She   them yesterday evening, too.

6. I usually read two newspapers every day. I only   a newspaper yesterday.

7. They come to my house every Friday. Last Friday they  , too.

8. We usually go to the cinema on Sunday. We   to the cinema last Sunday, too.

9. Tom always has a shower in the morning. Tom   a shower this morning, too.

10. They buy a new car every year. Last year they   a new car, too.

11. I eat an orange every day. Yesterday I   two oranges.

12. We usually do our shopping on Monday. We   our shopping last Monday, too.

13. Ann often takes photos. Last weekend she   some photos.

14. We leave at 8.30 every morning. But yesterday we   at 8.00.

E) Put the sentences into past tense.

1. She wins the money. She   the money.

2. They can eat. They   eat.

3. She must go. She   go.

4. We go shopping. We   shopping.

5. She runs to school. She   to school.

6. I can walk. I   walk.

7. We buy a new car. We   a new car.

8. They leave the party. They   the party.

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 9. We collect coins. We   coins.

10. You are allowed to eat. You   allowed to eat.

11. Peter eats a hamburger. Peter   a hamburger.

12. She has to wash it. She   to wash it.

13. They want to go home. They   to go home.

14. I close the windows. I   the windows.

15. She studies for a test. She   for a test.

16. They can drive. They   drive.

17. Sam likes to laugh. Sam   to laugh.

18. Mary goes home. Mary   home.

19. We write a letter. We   a letter.

20. She opens the window. She   the window.

F) Put the following sentences into the negation. Fill in the negative form of the verb.
Example: She wrote an email to Tom. She didn't write an email to Tom.
1. My dad met her in Paris three days ago.

My dad   her in Paris three days ago.

2. Sam bought a new camera.

Sam   a new camera.

3. They came home late from work last Monday.

They   home late from work last Monday.

4. We played tennis yesterday afternoon.

We   tennis yesterday afternoon.

5. I caught a cold last winter.
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 I   a cold last winter.
6. The girls watched TV yesterday evening.

The girls   TV yesterday evening.

7. The student copied the text from the board.

The student   the text from the board.

8. The children swam in the sea.

The children   in the sea.

9. We stayed at the same hotel in Paris.

We   at the same hotel in Paris.

10. Linda flew to Las Vegas last Wednesday.

Linda   to Las Vegas last Wednesday.

11. I was really tired yesterday evening.

I   really tired yesterday evening.

12. They went to bed early last Friday.

They   to bed early last Friday.

13. We found out what they did yesterday night.

We   what they did yesterday night.

14. She cooked pasta for dinner last Thursday.

She   pasta for dinner last Thursday.

15. They were late for school again two days ago.

They   late for school again two days ago.

G) Fill in the negative form of the past simple.

1. They invited Linda to their party but they   Carol.

2. We met Sally but we   Frank.

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 3. They did their English homework but they   their maths homework.

4. The girls visited the Tower but they   Westminster Abbey.

5. He bought jeans but he   any T-shirts.

6. We watched the news but we   the weather report.

7. We read chapter 1 to 4 but we   the last chapter.

8. She talked to us but she   to Mr Brown.

9. They played tennis but they   football.

10. She made breakfast but she   lunch.

11. They were in Boston but they   in New York.

12. She liked Chris but she   Robert.

13. He was happy but she   happy.

14. Paula sang well but Christina   well.

15. She got up early but he   early.

H) Fill in the negation.

1. They went to work by train. They   to work by train.

2. We gave her an expensive necklace. We   her an expensive necklace.

3. They did their homework carefully. They   their homework carefully.

4. He drove very fast. He   very fast.

5. Daniel opened a new restaurant. Daniel   a new restaurant.

6. We worked last Monday. We   last Monday.

7. We saw Bill yesterday evening. We   Bill yesterday evening.

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 8. The boys liked their sports teacher. The boys   their sports teacher.

9. I ordered ham and eggs. I   ham and eggs.

10. Nicole found her ring. Nicole   her ring.

11. The twins were at the party. The twins   at the party.

12. They watched TV. They   TV.

13. Nancy went to school. Nancy   to school.

14. He was in town. He   in town.

15. They lived in Glasgow. They   in Glasgow.

I) Form the questions.

Example: She did her homework. - and Peter - Did he do his homework?
1. She went to the cinema yesterday. - and you?

 to the cinema yesterday?

2. He drove to London yesterday. - and Hanna?

 to London yesterday?

3. They wrote an email. - and you?

 an email?
4. She learned for the test. - and Jake?

 for the test?

5. Linda got up early. - and her kids?

 early?
6. I watched TV yesterday - and you?

 TV yesterday?
7. I phoned her last week? - and Peter?

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  her last week?
8. I had a cold last month. - and Barbara?

 a cold last month?

9. We bought some nice presents for her. - and your brother?

 nice presents, too?

10. He tidied up his room. - and you?

 your room?
11. They invited Neil to their party. - and you?

 Neil to your party?

12. We played tennis yesterday. - and Jill?

 tennis yesterday, too?

J) Form the questions.
Example: He bought a new laptop. - Did he buy a new laptop?

1. He was at the office yesterday.   at the office yesterday?

2. That jacket cost more than 100 euros.   more than 100 euros?

3. We watched the late night movie.   the late night movie?

4. My father walked to work yesterday.   to work yesterday.?

5. She took the bus to Manchester.   the bus to Manchester?

6. They ate out last evening.   out last evening?

7. They were in London last month.   in London last month?

8. They arrived at the airport on time.   at the airport on time?

9. Linda decided to go home straight away.   to go home straight away?

10. I bought bread.   bread?

11. My friends swam in the sea.   in the sea?

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 12. My sister missed the bus.   the bus?

13. She answered by email.   by email?

14. They won a lot of money.   a lot of money?

15. She drove all the way without stopping.   all the way without stopping?
K) Form the questions.
Example: Carol opened the window. - Did Carol open the window?

1. Sam bought a CD.   a CD?

2. We played chess last Saturday.   last Saturday?

3. She went to the market yesterday.   to the market yesterday?

4. My friends watched this movie last week.   this movie last week?

5. They collected postcards.   postcards?

6. The teacher pointed to the board.   to the board?

7. I was thirsty.   thirsty?

8. Frank married her a year ago.   her a year ago?

9. My brother rang Susan yesterday.   Susan yesterday?

10. He had ham and eggs for breakfast.   ham and eggs for breakfast?

11. The girls talked all night.   all night?

12. They lived in New York.   in New York?

13. My sister bought a new laptop last year.   a new laptop last year?

14. The film started at 10.00 pm.   at 10.00 pm?

15. Our parents got up before 8 o'clock.   before 8 o'clock?

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