The simple past tense

Past simple

• Meaning & Use
• Form (structure)
• Exercise

Meaning & Use

When do we use the Simple Past tense?

• We use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past.
• What are some common time expressions used with the past tense?

yesterday

last month

last year

last week

ago

In 1980

Examples:

I saw Maria yesterday.

Last Friday, the students took their spelling and vocabulary tests.

They got married two years ago.

These actionsare over, finished!

How do we form the simple past tense . . .?

English has two types of verbs in the past tense:

• taught
• walked
• studied
• gave
• became
• cried
• lived
• did

regular

regular

regular

regular

irregular

irregular

irregular

irregular

Look at the following list of past tense verbs…

which verbs are regular, and which are irregular?

• Regular verbs
• Irregular verbs

Regular verbs are verbs that ….

Simple Form Past Tense

Walk

Study

Cry

Live

walk

ed

studi

ed

cri

ed

liv

ed

…end with –ed

Irregular verbs are verbs that . . . .

…DON’T end with –ed

some irregular verbs

Have a vowel change in the past tense:

Examples

Simple Form Past Tense

become became

give gave

drive drove

forget forgot

For negative sentences, USE

I went to work yesterday.

I didn’t go to work yesterday.

did not

or

didn't

+

verb,baseForm(Infinitive)

Exception = VERB BE!

The verb be is special.

Never use DID NOT or DIDN’T with the verb BE. Instead, just use:

Was

or

were

+

not

For Yes/No questions, USE

Did you go to work yesterday?

Did you come yesterday?

DiD

+

verb,baseForm(Infinitive)

subject

+

Exercise instructions Complete the sentences below by putting the verb in brackets into the past simple or past perfect.

1. While I was away on holiday, my sister (fall) _________________ ill and I had to come

• home.
• 2. By the time we reached Frankfurt I (already/be) _______________ very tired of driving.
• 3. There was a terrible atmosphere in the room. They (have) _________________ an
• argument just before I came.
• 4. First she (be) _________________ a teacher, then she became a journalist.
• 5. I gave my friend directions to my house, but later realised that I (forgot)
• _________________ to give her the exact address.
• 6. I got to work this morning and was angry when I saw that no one (arrive)
• _________________ yet.
• 7. He awoke thinking he was in a prison and that he'd been arrested for robbery. He
• then realised that it (all/be) __________________ just a bad dream.
• 8. Michael had a black eye. It looked as if he (be) __________________ in a fight

1.What your neighbours (to do) yesterday? 2.Mr. Smith (to fix) his car yesterday morning. 3.His wife (to water) plants in the garden. 4.Their children (to clean) the yard and then they (to play) basketball. 5.In the evening their boys (to listen) to loud music and (to watch) TV. 6.Their little girl (to cry) a little and then (to smile). 7.Her brothers (to shout) at her. 8.Mrs. Smith (to work) in the kitchen. 9.She (to bake) a delicious apple pie. 10.She (to cook) a good dinner. 11.She (to wash) the dishes and (to look) very tired. 12.The children (to brush) their teeth, (to yawn) a little and (to go) to bed. 13.Their mother (to change) her clothes and (to brush) her hair. Then she (to talk) on the phone. 14.Her husband (to smoke) a cigarette and (to talk) to his wife. 15.They (to wait) for the bus. The bus (to arrive) at 9 o’clock. 16.They (to visit) their friends. 17.They (to dance) a lot there. 18.Mr. and Mrs. Smith (to rest) very well last night. They really (to have) a wonderful time at their friends.