Past simple – English Grammar Exercises
1. Tick (✓) the correct sentences. Correct the wrong sentences.
1 The train not arrived until 22:30, so we got home around midnight.
The train didn’t arrive until 22:30, so we got home around midnight.
2 I slept very badly on the plane, so I feeled very tired the next day.
……………………………………………………………….
3 Did you took the train from New York to Washington?
……………………………………………………………….
4 We flew from London to Manchester because it was really cheap.
……………………………………………………………….
5 They spended two nights in a hotel and then they stayed at a friend’s house for three days.
……………………………………………………………….
6 I didn’t enjoyed my trip to Scotland because the weather wasn’t very good.
……………………………………………………………….
7 When I got back to my hotel, I found a message from my sister.
……………………………………………………………….
8 We unpacked our suitcases and ate dinner in the hotel restaurant. It cost 100 euros!
……………………………………………………………….
2. Complete the exchanges with the past simple form of the verbs in brackets. Use
contractions where possible.
1 A How …was… (be) your flight?
B Find, thanks, but I ………………… (not sleep) because the seats ………………… (not be)
comfortable.
2 A What ………………… (you, do) last summer?
B We ………………… (not have) much money, so we ………………… (decide) to stay in the UK.
3 A Where ………………… (Ben, go) on holiday last year?
B He ………………… (go) to Canada.
4 A ………………… (you, bring) back any souvenirs from Jamaica?
B Yes, I ………………… . (do) I ………………… (buy) some Blue Mountain coffee.
5 A ………………… (you, meet) your French friends when you were in Paris?
B Yes, we ………………… . (do) We ………………… (meet) them for dinner one evening.
6 A ………………… (you, visit) your cousins in Los Angeles?
B No, we ………………… (not have) time.
3. Complete the sentences with the past simple form of the verbs in brackets.
1 I ……………… as a waiter for a day, for no money. (work)
2 I ……………… a day fishing with five Greek fisherman. (spend)
3 I ……………… at a beach party until six in the morning. (stay)
4 I ……………… a dancing competition. (win)
5 I ……………… the same boat trip three times. (take)
6 I ……………… swimming at midnight. (go)
4. Last week, Elliot’s holiday was very good. Victoria’s was very bad. Complete each sentence
with the positive or negative form of the verb in brackets.
ELLIOT VICTORIA
My fantastic holiday My terrible holiday
1 My plane …wasn’t…… late. (be) 1 My plane …was…… late. (be)
2 My bags …………… at the airport. (arrive) 2 My bags …………… at the airport. (arrive)
3 The people at the hotel …………… very 3 The people at the hotel …………… very
nice. (be) nice. (be)
4 I …………… the local food. It was great! 4 I …………… the local food. It was awful.
(eat) (eat)
5 It …………… . (rain) 5 It …………… every day. (rain)
6 I …………… a lot of money. It was so 6 I …………… a lot of money. It was so
cheap! (spend) expensive! (spend)
7 I …………… to a lot of people. (speak) 7 I …………… to anybody. (speak)
8 I …………… a good time. (have) 8 I …………… a good time. (have)
5. Elliot asked Victoria about her holiday. Write Elliot’s questions in the past simple.
1 E why / your plane / be late
Why was your plane late?
V I think there was a problem with the engine.
2 E when / your bags / arrive
……………………………………….?
V On the last day of my holiday.
3 E what / you / wear?
……………………………………….?
V I bought some new clothes.
4 E the people / be friendly
……………………………………….?
V No, they were rude.
5 E what / weather / be like
……………………………………….?
V It rained every day.
6 E what kind of food / you eat
……………………………………….?
V Nothing special
7 E you / have / a good time
……………………………………….?
V No!
6. Complete the sentences with the past simple forms of the verbs in the box.
ask not get learn meet need not spend wear
1 We …………… a lot of money, because everything was very cheap.
2 She …………… the bus driver for directions.
3 I …………… to change my ticket before I got on the train.
4 I …………… the bus home, because I didn’t have any money.
5 He …………… his new shirt to the party.
6 …………… you …………… any interesting people on holiday?
7 I …………… how to surf when I lived in California.
