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Past simple Exercises

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Past simple form : ( verb 2 )

In English we use the past simple tense to talk about finished actions in the past.

We use 'did' as an auxiliary verb in negatives and questions and we often use the past simple with past time phrases such as 5 minutes ago, yesterday, last week, in the 1980s, and when I was a child.

Notes for use of past simple  :

In English, to change verbs to the past tense, we add '-ed' to regular verbs. For example;

work --> worked

live --> lived

walk --> walked

If the verb ends in 'e', we drop the 'e' before adding '-ed'. For example;

dance --> danced

smile --> smiled

phone --> phoned

If the verb ends in a vowel + consonant, we double the last consonant. For example;

stop --> stopped

tag --> tagged

plan --> planned

If the verb has more than one syllable, we double the consonant at the end only if the last syllable is stressed. For example;

prefer --> preferred

permit --> permitted

regret --> regretted

If the last syllable of the verb is not stressed, we do not double the last consonant. For example;

visit --> visited

happen --> happened

develop --> developed

In British English, verbs ending in 'l' double the 'l' before '-ed' whether the last syllable is stressed or not. For example;

travel --> travelled

cancel --> cancelled

If the verb ends in a 'y' or a 'w', we do not double it when we add '-ed'. For example;

stay --> stayed

play --> played

sew --> sewed

In English we do not double the consonant if the verb has two vowels before the last consonant. For example;

boil --> boiled

explain --> explained

In English we also do not double the consonant if the verb ends in two consonants. For example;

help --> helped

start --> started

However, irregular verbs change to completely different words in the past tense. For example;

go --> went

take --> took

know --> knew

The table below shows the different forms of past simple :

Example Verb : live
I / You  / We / They / He / She / It
Positive... lived.
Negative... didn't live.

Questions

Did ... live?
Short answers

Yes, ... did. /

No, ... didn't.

For the verb 'to be' we use 'was' and 'were'' in the past simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.

Verb : Be
I / He / She / It
You / We / They
Positive... was ...... were ...
Negative... wasn't ...... weren't ...
QuestionsWas ... ... ?Were ... ...?
Short answers

Yes, ... was. /

No, ... wasn't.

Yes, ... were. /

No, ... weren't.

Past Simple Example Sentences :

Positive Examples of Past Simple :

  • I went to Japan last year.
  • She worked as a consultant for 5 years.
  • We saw a film last night.
  • He was ill yesterday.
  • They were at the party last Saturday night.

Negative Examples of Past Simple :

  • You didn't go to the gym last night.
  • He didn't attend the meeting this morning.
  • We didn't have a dog when I was a child.
  • I wasn't at home last weekend.
  • They weren't happy with the service.

Question Examples of Past Simple :

  • Did you visit New York last summer?
  • Did you eat at the Japanese restaurant last night?
  • Who did you meet at the conference?
  • Was she angry?
  • Where were you yesterday afternoon?

Past simple example sentences
If you are allergic to cats, why didn't you talk to me directly?Si eres alérgica a los gatos, ¿por qué no lo hablaste conmigo directamente?
Actually, I was going to ask you something at the pub, but Diego interrupted me.En realidad, yo iba a preguntarle algo en el pub, pero Diego me interrumpió.
Then, apparently I fell asleep... And slept for a couple of hours!Entonces, aparentemente me quedé dormida... ¡Y dormí por un par de horas!
You didn't tell me anything about that...No me dijiste nada sobre eso...
I knew it was too good to be true!¡Sabía que era demasiado bueno para ser verdad!
How come? We just called this morning!¿Cómo es posible? ¡Si llamé esta mañana!
I didn't have any time to eat anything.No he tenido tiempo de comer nada.
It seems you checked the production date.Parece que ha mirado la fecha de producción.
I didn't ask when, I asked why!No he preguntado cuándo, ¡he preguntado por qué!
Oh god... It was a nightmare for me today!Oh dios... ¡Hoy fue una pesadilla para mí!
Why didn't you tell me that before?¿Por qué no me lo habías dicho antes?
To be honest, I didn't really understand what happened!Para ser sincero, ¡no entiendo muy bien qué pasó!
I'm almost at Brighton! Why didn't you inform me earlier?¡Casi estoy en Brighton! ¿Por qué no me has informado antes?
Hey, I just got an idea where to put the bed!Hey, ¡se me acaba de ocurrir dónde poner la cama!
Hm, you didn't tell me that before!Hmm, ¡no me lo habías dicho antes!
Because a girl had an argument with Diego?¿Porque una chica tuvo una pelea con Diego?
What did you cook for breakfast?¿Qué has cocinado para desayunar?
Pinocchio didn't know he wasn't a real boy in the beginning, either.De hecho, Pinocho no sabía que él no era un niño de verdad en el principio.
You didn't tell me what kind of muffin you wanted.No me dijiste qué tipo de magdalena querías.
What!? So you complained to Nick about our cat!¿¡Qué!? ¡Así que te quejaste con Nick sobre nuestro gato!

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Be going to
Be going to passive
Be used to / Get used to
Comparative
Defining relative clause
Echo tag
Expression
First conditional
Future
Future continuous
Future perfect continuous
Future perfect passive
Future perfect simple
Future simple passive
Greeting
Have/Get something done
Imperative
Implied conditional
Indirect question
Infinitive of purpose
Interjection
Mixed conditional
Modal
Modal passive
Non-defining relative clause
Other
Past continuous
Past continuous passive
Past perfect continuous
Past perfect passive
Past perfect simple
Past simple
Past simple passive
Polite request / offer / suggestion
Present continuous
Present continuous passive
Present perfect continuous
Present perfect passive
Present perfect simple
Present simple
Present simple passive
Question tag
Reduced relative clause
Reported speech imperative
Reported speech question
Reported speech request
Reported speech statement
Second conditional
Short answer
Superlative
Third conditional
Used to / would (past habit)
Was/were going to
Was/were supposed to
Wish
Would rather
Zero conditional