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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
I came here to visit her, then she went back and I stayed here.언니 보러 온 거였는데, 언니는 돌아가고 내가 남은 거야.
I don't even want to remember it, but, since you asked...생각도 하고 싶지 않지만, 네가 물어보니까 말인데...
Nope, those are the days when I slept alone...그게 아니고, 그 날들은 내가 혼자 잤으니까...
Because we were at the cinema, dear...왜냐면 영화관에 가 있었으니까...
Or a demon possessed her!아니면 악령 들렸거나!
Yes, I managed to see the last one... But I didn't like it!응, 마지막 약속 집은 봤는데... 마음에 안 들잖아!
I didn't know your cat was here.고양이를 데려온 줄은 몰랐어요.
To be honest, I didn't really understand what happened!솔직하게 말하자면, 무슨 일이었는지 난 정말 이해가 안됐다구요!
To where? You just came, you didn't even finish your beer.어디로? 방금 왔잖아. 맥주는 다 마시지도 않아놓고.
Hey, I just got an idea where to put the bed!나 침대 어디로 둘지 생각 났어!
And... Your cat? I didn't know you had a cat!그리고... 당신 고양이인가요? 고양이가 있는 줄은 몰랐는데!
What made you change your mind?왜 생각을 바꿨어?
We met at the vet a couple of weeks ago.몇 주 전에 동물병원에서 만났어.
What the f*ck! I didn't know that!뭐야 미친! 몰랐잖아!
The book was too big for my bag, it didn't fit!책이 너무 컸다구, 가방에 안 들어가!
It seems you checked the production date.제조일자를 확인하신 것 같아요.
I hope you didn't have any *private* pictures on your phone.휴대폰에 *사적인* 사진은 안 두셨길 바라요.
Why didn't you ask while you were on the phone then?그럼 통화 중에 질문을 하지 그랬어?
I knew it was too good to be true!어쩐지 술술 풀린다 했어!
Did you sleep well last night?어젯밤 잠은 잘 잤고?

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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