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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
That was so easy, I can't believe it worked!완전 쉬웠어, 성공하다니 믿기질 않네!
It was my mistake accepting the job to work with them.같이 일을 하겠다고 한 내 잘못이지.
Unfortunately, it is... Weren't there any pictures of the house?슬프게도, 맞는 주소야... 집 사진 같은 거 없었어?
What's the joke? I didn't get it.뭐가 농담인데? 모르겠는데.
But it seems Julianne complained about Pogo to Nick.하지만 줄리앤이 닉한테 포고에 대해 불평한 모양이에요.
Oh, by the way, one of my best friends from Australia called me...아, 그나저나, 호주에서 나하고 제일 친한 친구 중 한명한테서 연락이 왔는데...
So you already knew the cat was here before you came.그러니까 당신도 여기 오기 전부터 고양이가 있다는 건 알고 있었단 거네요.
After I had waited a while, I decided to knock on her door...좀 기다려봤다가, 결국 문을 두드렸는데...
At one point, I thought you were interested in the house.나는 집이 네 마음에 드는 건가 하는 생각도 했다구.
Of course I didn't, they had already started playing it before I got there!당연히 내가 시킨 건 아니지, 내가 가보니까 벌써 잡고 있던데!
For no reason? How did she go mental?이유도 없이? 어떻게 또라이처럼 굴었다는 거야?
What brought you to London?너는 왜 런던에 있어?
You didn't tell me anything about that...나한테는 아무 말도 안해줬잖아...
Sorry dear, I didn't mean to annoy you at all.미안해, 자기, 짜증나게 하려는 마음은 전혀 없다구.
Bye Toby, it was nice talking to you!잘 있어요 토비, 만나서 반가웠어요!
We've been coming here since Pogo was a kitten.포고가 아기 고양이였을 적부터 데리고 왔거든.
I called about 10 people yesterday to make appointments.약속을 잡으려고 어제 거의 10명한테 전화를 했다고.
Of course not, how did you come up with that idea?당연히 아니지, 그런 생각은 어디서 난 거야?
Did you check the price of the rice?쌀 가격 확인해봤어?
Unbelievable, how did you know that?놀라워라, 그걸 어떻게 알아내셨담?

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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