Simple Past
Grammar Notes
SIMPLE PAST
A. Use
We use the simple past to talk about
finished actions that happened in the past.
past present future
B. Time Markers
Words that show the time of an action are called "time markers."
Common time markers for the simple past are yesterday, last, ago, and when.
Time Marker Examples
• I walked my dog yesterday.
yesterday
• He called me yesterday morning.
• They went to the movies last night.
last
• Our company hired 20 new employees last year.
• She got a new job two months ago.
ago
• Six weeks ago, we moved to New York.
• My brother learned to ride a bike when he was four years old.
when
• When I graduated from university, I applied for many jobs.
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Simple Past
Grammar Notes cont.
C. Form
A common way to form the simple past is to add -ed to the end of a verb.
These verbs are called “regular verbs.”
Other verbs have many kinds of changes.
They are called “irregular verbs.”
The Be verb is a special kind of irregular verb.
It has two forms (was and were). It also has different sentence patterns.
Let’s look at regular verbs, irregular verbs, and the Be verb in more detail.
D. Regular Verbs
To form the past tense of regular verbs, add -ed to the base verb.
Type of Sentence Pattern Examples
• I talked to my friends for hours yesterday.
• They worked until 7:00 pm last night.
Positive base verb + -ed
• She tried to help me two weeks ago.
• My coworkers completed the project.
• He did not study French at school.
Negative did not / didn't + base verb
• My classmates didn't like my speech.
• Did you call me last night?
Question did + subject + base verb
• Did she go on a trip last year?
• When did you leave?
Wh- Question Wh- word + did + subject + base verb
• How did they know about the test?
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Simple Past
Grammar Notes cont.
D. Regular Verbs cont.
How do we spell regular past verbs? Follow these simple rules:
# Rule Examples
• like liked
1 If a verb ends in -e, add -d. • arrive arrived
• decide decided
• carry carried
2 If a verb ends in consonant + -y, change -y to -i and add -ed. • try tried
• study studied
• play played
3 If a verb ends in vowel + -y, add -ed.* • stay stayed
• enjoy enjoyed
• hug hugged
If a verb ends in a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern,
4 • plan planned
double the final consonant and add -ed.**
• stop stopped
• watch watched
5 For all other verbs, add -ed. • ask asked
• clean cleaned
*Note: **Note:
For verbs with more than one syllable, this rule is only
prefer preferred
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Simple Past
Grammar Notes cont.
E. Irregular Verbs
To form the past tense of an irregular verb, we must
make a change (in the middle or ending) to the verb.
Type of Sentence Pattern Examples
• She wrote me a long email this morning.
• I ate an entire pizza on the weekend.
Positive various changes* • The staff members met with the boss.
• They rode their bikes to
school when they were young.
• He did not read the newspaper yesterday.
Negative did not / didn't + base verb • My neighbours didn't pay
their rent last month.
• Did you tell her about your accident?
Question did + subject + base verb • Did they go shopping
yesterday afternoon?
• When did you catch a cold?
Wh- Question Wh- word + did + subject + base verb
• Why did you sing that song?
*Note:
For a complete list of irregular verbs,
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Simple Past
Grammar Notes cont.
F. Be Verb
To form the past tense of the Be verb, use the words was or were.
Type of Sentence Pattern Examples
I / he / she / it / singular count noun / • I was happy when I was in Hawaii.
non-count noun + was • The teacher was in the classroom.
Positive
you / we / they / • We were sick last month.
plural count noun + were • The children were at the park.
was not / wasn't • He was not at home last night.
Negative
were not / weren't • We weren't at work yesterday.
• Were you in trouble?
Question was / were + subject
• Was your sister at school yesterday?
• Who was that?
Wh- Question Wh- word + was / were + subject
• Where were you?
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Simple Past
Exercise 1
FILL IN THE BLANKS
Put the correct past tense form of Be in the blanks below.
Ex. Eva was sick yesterday.
1. We Were in the same class last year.
2. I Was tired after a long day at work.
3. The weather Was beautiful yesterday.
4. My teachers Were really good last semester.
5. The children Were hungry after so much exercise.
6. The wind Was very strong last night.
7. She Was so happy last week.
8. They Were nervous on the first day of school.
9. Luckily, the windows Were closed during the rainstorm.
10. We
Were very happy to get your invitation last week.
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Simple Past
Exercise 2
COMPLETE THE SENTENCES
Finish the following sentences using
the negative form of Be in the past tense.
Ex. I am at work today, but I wasn’t at work yesterday.
1. It is cold outside today, but it wasn't cold yesterday.
2. She is sick today, but she wasn't sick yesterday.
3. They are at school today, but they weren't at school yesterday.
4. The TV show is good today, but it wasn't good yesterday.
5. The peaches are sweet today, but they weren't sweet yesterday.
6. The class is interesting today, but it wasn't interesting yesterday.
7. He is angry today, but he wasn't angry yesterday.
8. The door is locked today, but it wasn't locked yesterday.
9. The exercises are easy today, but they weren't easy yesterday.
10. The children are tired today, but they weren't tired yesterday.
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Simple Past
Exercise 3
PAIR WORK
Write the questions using the prompt and the simple past tense.
Then interview your partner. Write down your partner’s answers.
# Prompt Question Answer
Ex at home / last night Were you at home last night? No, I wasn't.
1 at school / yesterday
2 at the movies / last weekend
3 at the gym / last week
4 at the mall / last month
5 in another country / last year
6 tired / last night
7 angry / last week
8 sick / last month
9 excited / about your last birthday
10 happy / during your last vacation
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Simple Past
Exercise 4
VERB CHART (REGULAR VERBS)
Review the spelling rules on page 4.
Then write the past forms of these regular verbs.
# Base Form Past Form # Base Form Past Form
Ex ask asked 10 laugh laughed
1 brush
Brushed 11 learn learned
2 carry Carried 12 like Liked
3 check Checked 13 listen listened
4 clean Cleaned 14 plan planned
5 cry 15 play played
Cried
6 dance Danced 16 study studied
7 decide Decided 17 talk talked
8 hope Hoped 18 walk walked
9 hug Hugged 19 wash washed
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Simple Past
Exercise 5
CHOOSE THE CORRECT VERB
Choose a verb from the list on the right to complete the following
sentences. Write the verb in the past tense. Use each verb only once.
Ex. I visited my friend in the hospital last night.
1. The boys
played baseball in the field behind the school. change
2. Robert
helped his wife wash the dishes.
3. We painted our living room a soft blue colour.
4. Susan watched TV for two hours last night.
5. We took planes on the way to New York.
6. She waited for him for 20 minutes at the coffee shop.
7. He learned how to swim when he was a child.
8. They traveled all around the country three years ago.
9. The students were late for class.
10. We listened to the radio until midnight.
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Simple Past
Exercise 7
VERB CHART (IRREGULAR VERBS)
Write the past forms of these irregular verbs.
Refer to the list on page 23 if you need help.
# Base Form Past Form # Base Form Past Form
Ex be was, were 10 make made
1 begin
began 11 read read
2 bring brought 12 run ran
3 catch caught 13 see saw
4 choose chose 14 sing sang
5 do did 15 sleep slept
6 fall fell 16 take took
7 go went 17 teach taught
8 have had 18 think thought
9 know knew 19 write wrote
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Simple Past
Exercise 8
CHOOSE THE CORRECT VERB
Choose a verb(s) from the list on the right to complete the following
sentences. Write the verb(s) in the past tense. Use each verb only once.
Ex. She broke a plate when she was washing the dishes.
1. They flew to Paris in a jumbo jet last week.
2. I set the alarm clock for 7:00 yesterday morning, but I
woke up an hour before the alarm clock rang .
3. I wrote an email to my friend back home.
4. He wrote a five-page essay last night.
5. His mother took care of him when he was sick.
6. The teacher explained the mathematics class
and then gave the students three exercises to do for homework.
7. Matthew lost his wallet on the way to work yesterday.
He was very upset.
8. Angie had a bad cold last week. She stayed in bed for three days.
9. The children swam in the lake behind their house last summer.
10. We had a wonderful time at your party last night.
11. I bought groceries on my way home yesterday and I paid cash.
12. I met three friends at the cafe and
we drank several cups of coffee together.
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Simple Past
Exercise 10
OPPOSITES
Write the opposite of each verb below. Make sure to use the past tense.
There may be more than one possible opposite, but try to think of one
that has an irregular past form.
# Verb Opposite
Ex gave took
1 remembered
2 bought
3 found
4 sat
5 arrived
6 opened
7 rose (the sun)
8 learned
9 floated
10 saved (money)
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Simple Past
Exercise 11
TIME MARKERS
Complete the following sentences using yesterday, last, or ago.
Ex. We went skiing a lot last winter.
1. She came to this country three years ago .
2. The teacher cancelled the class last Monday.
3. I spoke to him for ten minutes yesterday .
4. We went dancing last night.
5. The boss was away yesterday morning.
6. We began this class last fall.
7. The children ran around outside yesterday afternoon.
8. She got married five years ago .
9. We went shopping yesterday .
10. He left five minutes ago .
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Simple Past
Exercise 12
POSITIVE & NEGATIVE
Read the example. Then complete the sentences below using the past
tense. Make the first sentence negative and the second one positive.
Ex. Ben usually eats cereal for breakfast. 6. Ben usually meets his boss in the morning.
He didn’t eat cereal yesterday. He didn't meet his boss in the morning.
He ate toast. He met him in the afternoon.
1. Ben usually gets up at 7:00. 7. Ben usually writes ten emails in the morning.
He didn't get up at 7:00 yesterday. He didn't write ten emails yesterday.
He got up at 8:00. He wrote five letters.
2. Ben usually takes a shower. 8. Ben usually eats lunch in the office.
He didn't take a shower yesterday. He didn't eat lunch in the office today.
He took a bath. He ate lunch in a restaurant.
3. Ben usually reads the Times newspaper. 9. Ben usually has a lot of appointments every day.
He didn't read the Times yesterday. He didn't have
a lot of appointments yesterday.
He read the Post. He only Had a few.
4. Ben usually leaves the house at 8:00. 10. Ben usually gets home at 6:00.
He didn't leave the house at 8:00. He didn't get home at 6:00 yesterday.
He left at 9:00. He Got home at 7:00.
5. Ben usually takes a bus to work.
He didn't take a bus yesterday.
He took a taxi.
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Simple Past
Exercise 15
WRITING
Choose one of the topics below. Write a paragraph
using regular and irregular past tense verbs.
Example:
Topics:
I went on vacation to Amsterdam last year. It was
• what you did yesterday
• what you did last weekend
• what you did during your last vacation
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Simple Past
Exercise 16
QUIZ
Circle the correct answer.
1. Two weeks ago, I a new car. 7. They left the city a month .
a) bought a) ago
b) buyed b) last
2. Juan at the store on his way home. 8. She a cold last week.
a) stoped a) cought
b) stopped b) caught
3. I was very tired week. 9. your homework?
a) ago a) Did you finish
b) last b) Did you finished
4. It us two days to write the report. 10. Maya and Louise late for class.
a) taked a) was
b) took b) were
5. How the weather last weekend? 11. They to sell their house.
a) was a) tryed
b) were b) tried
6. Alyssa to go to Spain. 12. Chang to the party last night.
a) decideed a) didn’t go
b) decided b) didn’t went
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Simple Past
Irregular Verb List
Base Form Past Form Base Form Past Form Base Form Past Form
be was, were get got read read
become became give gave ring rang
begin began go went run ran
break broke grow grew say said
bring brought have had see saw
buy bought hear heard sell sold
catch caught hide hid send sent
choose chose hit hit shut shut
come came hold held sing sang
cost cost keep kept sleep slept
cut cut know knew speak spoke
do did lay laid spend spent
draw drew lead led stand stood
drink drank leave left take took
drive drove let let teach taught
eat ate lie lay tell told
fall fell lose lost throw threw
feel felt make made understand understood
find found meet met wake woke
forget forgot pay paid wear wore
freeze froze put put write wrote
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