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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
I hope you didn't have any *private* pictures on your phone.휴대폰에 *사적인* 사진은 안 두셨길 바라요.
This was the only one left on the shelf.선반에 이거 밖에 안 남아있더라구요.
Good morning my friend, did I wake you up?좋은 아침이에요, 제가 깨운 건가요?
Bye Toby, it was nice talking to you!잘 있어요 토비, 만나서 반가웠어요!
I used the same logic as you...네 논리 그대로 적용한 거잖아...
Yeah, everything is fine, I just came here to...아뇨, 문제는 없고요, 무슨 일인가 하면...
Hello, I booked a table for two in the name of Cate for 20:30.안녕하세요, 오후 8시 반에 두 사람 테이블 예약했고요, 이름은 케이트예요.
Also I caught the wasp before they managed to get stung.그리고 걔네가 쏘이기 전에 내가 말벌을 잡아줬다구.
No, I couldn't, I went to Sainsbury's, they didn't have it.못 찾았어, 세인즈버리에도 갔는데, 없더라고.
Yes, I managed to see the last one... But I didn't like it!응, 마지막 약속 집은 봤는데... 마음에 안 들잖아!
And... Your cat? I didn't know you had a cat!그리고... 당신 고양이인가요? 고양이가 있는 줄은 몰랐는데!
I see... at least you weren't far from home.그렇군... 그래도 집에서 멀리 나오진 않았으니 다행이다.
Hmm, I guess it was about 5 or 6 months ago.흠, 5-6개월 정도 됐나.
You know we talked about bringing Pogo here one day.언젠가 여기 포고를 데려올까 하는 얘기를 했잖아.
How come? We just called this morning!그럴 리가요? 오늘 아침에 전화드렸는걸요!
Anyway, did you have any problems with that girl before?아무튼, 전에는 저 여자랑 문제 있었던 거 없었어?
Then she started to talk about how she was allergic to cats, etcetera.그러고는 고양이에 알레르기가 있다고, 뭐 그런 말을 하기 시작하더라구요.
If you are allergic to cats, why didn't you talk to me directly?고양이 알레르기가 있으면, 저한테 직접 얘기하면 됐잖아요?
We are going to follow the original plan, how it was before.원래 계획대로 하자. 하기로 했던 대로.
It happened later in the movie, I mean the story.그건 영화 나중에, 아니 이야기 나중에 나오는 거잖아.

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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