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Past simple Exercises

( Free Online English Grammar Lessons )

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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
When I first came to England, I thought it was a holiday only for banks.La prima volta che sono venuto in Inghilterra, pensavo fosse una festa riservata alle banche.
Pinocchio didn't know he wasn't a real boy in the beginning, either.Pinocchio non sapeva neppure lui di essere un bambino vero all’inizio.
Unfortunately, I already did.Sfortunatamente, l’ho già fatto.
I didn't want to wake you up, so I went to the kitchen.Non volevo svegliarti, quindi sono andata in cucina.
Wow! Did you just agree to get a new house?Wow! Hai appena accettato di prendere una casa nuova?
I took a picture and printed it out at school!Ho fatto una foto e l’ho stampata a scuola!
Did you sleep well last night?Hai dormito bene ieri notte?
5 minutes before I arrived, I called her, but she didn't answer.5 minuti prima di arrivare, l’ho chiamata, ma non ha risposto.
Oh, by the way, one of my best friends from Australia called me...Oh, a proposito, mi ha chiamato uno dei miei migliori amici dall’Australia…
You know we talked about bringing Pogo here one day.Sai che abbiamo parlato di portare qui Pogo uno di questi giorni.
That was so easy, I can't believe it worked!È stato facile, non riesco a credere che ha funzionato!
I have to say, your checking the heaters lie wasn't very clever.Devo dirlo, la tua balla sul controllare i termosifoni non era molto intelligente.
Did anything happen to you?Ti è successo qualcosa?
I used the same logic as you...Ho usato la tua stessa logica…
Nope, those are the days when I slept alone...No, quelli sono i giorni in cui ho dormito da solo…
I think we should move the desk back where it was before.Penso che dovremo spostare la scrivania dov’era prima.
Didn't you hear what she said?Non hai sentito cosa ha detto?
Didn't I just say the same thing?Non ho appena detto la stessa cosa?
How come? We just called this morning!Com’è possibile? Abbiamo parlato stamattina!
It happened later in the movie, I mean the story.È successo più tardi nel film, voglio dire la storia.

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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