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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
Yes, that's me, hello, I think we talked on the phone before...Sim, sou eu, olá, penso que falamos ao telefone antes...
Yes they do, they looked after him last time.Sim podem, eles cuidaram dele da última vez.
I didn't want to risk it.Não quis arriscar.
When did you last visit your parents?Quando foi a última vez que visitou seus pais?
We should've checked inside the oven before we turned it on.Devíamos ter verificado o interior do forno antes de o acender.
I hope the other appointments weren't very far apart from each other.Espero que as outras marcações não tenham sido muito afastadas umas das outras.
An old lady came out and shouted at me very angrily!Uma senhora idosa abriu e me gritou muito zangada!
Of course not, how did you come up with that idea?Claro que não, onde foi buscar essa ideia?
Yes, I finally found one!Sim, encontrei um!
What did you cook for breakfast?O que você preparou para o café da manhã?
Any idea why they decided to sell the house suddenly?Tem algum ideia por que eles decidiram vender a casa subitamente?
Did you manage to find it?Conseguiu encontrar?
Exactly... So I gave up and decided to sit at a cafe and have a coffee.Exatamente... Então, eu desisti e decidi ir tomar um café.
So I got one chocolate and one blueberry one.Portanto, comprei um de chocolate e um de mirtilo.
Dear, I think you were absolutely right!Querido, você tinha toda a razão!
Is that how long your relationship with Jen was, also?Esse foi também o tempo que durou sua relação com a Jen?
That was a strange conversation... What did they say?Que conversa estranha... O que disseram eles?
Then we found the wallet with nothing left in it.Depois encontramos a carteira sem nada dentro dela.
Oh, okay, did she say why they needed to cancel it?Oh, certo, ela disse por que tinham de a cancelar?
Why didn't you remind me while I was on the phone, then!Por que você não me lembrou enquanto eu estava no telefone?

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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