The past simple tense is another fundamental verb tense in the English language. It is used to describe completed actions or events that took place in the past. These exercises will help you practice and improve your understanding of the past simple tense. By completing the exercises, you will become more comfortable with forming affirmative, negative sentences in the past simple tense.
Read the sentences and underline the examples of the past simple.
I usually go to school by bus but today I walked.
I liked the film, it was so exciting!
He went shopping yesterday.
They stayed at home at the weekend because they were ill.
I don’t like the theater but I saw the play anyway.
He studied hard and passed the exam.
I did the washing up today and yesterday. You never do it.
I thought the lesson was fun and our teacher is very nice.
He had a bike accident at the weekend.
He bought two bars of chocolate and gave one to his friend.
Write the past simple of these verbs.
talk ………… | come ………… | close ………… | shop ………… |
eat ………… | chat ………… | pint ………… | think ………… |
leave ………… | rest ………… | wait ………… | give ………… |
put ………… | drop ………… | buy ………… | stop ………… |
Complete the sentences. Put the verb into the correct form, positive or negative.
It was warm, so I …………. off my coat. (take)
The film wasn’t very good. I ………….. it very much. (enjoy)
I knew Sarah was very busy, so I ……………. her. (disturb)
I was very tired, so I ………. to bed early. (go)
The bed was very uncomfortable. I ……………… very well. (sleep)
Sue wasn't hungry, so she ………… anything. (eat)
We went to Kate's house but she …………………. at home. (be)
It was a funny situation, but nobody ………………... (laugh)
The window was open, a bird ………….. into the room. (fly)
The hotel wasn't very expensive. It ……………………… very much. (cost)
I was in a hurry, so I ……………………….. time to phone you. (have)
It was Hard work carrying the bags. They ………………… very heavy. (be)
Use the prompts to write sentences.
He / go /swimming yesterday. è He went swimming yesterday.
They / see / film last night. è ……………………………………………………..
I / do / my homework. è …………………………………………………………..
You / wait / for an hour. è ………………………………………………………..
Michael / have / a cold. è ………………………………………………………..
The teacher / be / late. è …………………………………………………………..
Sue and Juan / walk / to school today. è …………………………………………..
I / take / my dog for a walk. è ……………………………………………………..
She / talk / to her friends. è ……………………………………………………..
We / give / him the answers. è ……………………………………………………..
Marcella / come / to the party. è …………………………………………………..
The dog / eat / my breakfast. è ……………………………………………………..
Complete the text with the past simple from the verbs in the box.
die change provide design use publish produce live study move
Isaac Newton was born on December 25, 1642 in Woolsthorpe, near Grantham in Lincolnshire, England. He was born in the same year that Galileo ………. . Newton is probably the most important scientist in history. His works on mathematics and physics ………. a basis for modern science, and his ideas …….. the world.
Newton ……… his work in two books, Opticks and Principia. These contain his laws of motion and gravity. He ……….. these laws to predict the movements of the stars, and the planets around the Sun. He also ………. and built the world’s first reflecting telescope.
Newton …….. at Trinity College, Cambridge, from 1661 to 1696. In this period, he ………… most of his important work. Then, in 1696, he ………… to London, where he …………. until his death on March 20, 1727.
Give the past forms of the these regular verbs. Show whether you would pronounce these past forms as /d/, /t/ or /ɪd/.
We waited an hour yesterday. (wait) /d/
John ……….. her room on Friday. (clean) / . /
I ………….. squash last night. (play) / . /
She ………… my letter yesterday. (post) / . /
I ……… at her. (smile) / . /
She ……… when she saw me. (stop) / . /
I ………. of you last night. (dream) / . /
Who ……….. the cakes? (burn) / . /
He ………… a lot as a baby. (cry) / . /
I ……… TV all evening. (watch) / . /
We ………… when we saw. (laugh) / . /
He ………. the sergeant’s orders. (obey) / . /
We ………. into the house. (hurry) / . /
You ………. to me! (lie) / . /
I ………….. early yesterday. (finish) / . /
It's ………. in the Bill. (include) / . /
I ……… the door before I left. (lock) / . /
We ……….. first class. (travel) / . /
Put one of these verbs in each sentence.
buy catch cost drink fall hurt sell spend teach throw win write
Mozart ……… more than 600 pieces of music.
“How did you learn to drive?” “My father ………… me.”
We couldn’t afford to keep our car, so we ………….. it.
I was very thirsty. I …………….. the water very quickly.
Paul and I played tennis yesterday. He’s much better than me, so he ………….. easily.
Don …………. down the stairs this morning and ……………… his leg.
Jim …………… the ball to Sue, who …………….. it.
Ann ………… a lot of money yesterday. she ………………….. a dress which …………. $100.
Supply the past forms of the irregular verbs in italics.
I often see Giulio. I saw him again only yesterday.
As teenagers, we always …………….. each other very well. We still understand each other now.
I hardly …………… Ray's wife. Did you know her at all?
We always meet on Sunday. We …………. last Sunday as usual.
I often find things on the beach. I …………. this very old bottle yesterday.
Someone's always leaving the window open. Who ……… it open this time.
I ………… a lot of letters when I was young. I hardly ever write letters now.
They sell all kinds of rubbish now, but they once ……………….. good handmade furniture.
She is very good at figures, you know. She ………… first in maths at school.
I have the same car now that I ………….. five years ago.
I don't keep pets now, but I ………. a dog when I was a boy.
Where did you eat last night? - We …………… at a restaurant
Make the sentences negative.
I bought the groceries on Wednesday.
We finished the celebration at 11:00 p.m..
My sister learned English at school.
On Friday Peter withdraw several ideas from his research project.
She heard from him much last month.
Sunday was her birthday.
He chose the house himself.
I slept well last night.
I tore my dress at the disco yesterday.
She hung her coat on a clothes hanger.
Steven artistically dealt with the situation.
At Last the friends broke off with the harmful habit.
The sun shone rarely last winter.
Mud stuck on our shoes.
Comment on the use of the past simple.
1- She finished her coffee and left the room.
2- The sun set a minute ago.
3- Stella made notes in her diary every day.
4- Robert heard what they were talking about.
5- I didn't come to the conference yesterday.
6- She wore uniform all her life and liked it.
7- I watched him as he drank his tea.
8- Mark stayed at fortnight in New York.
9- Margaret rose to her feet, took the baby and went out.
10- Caroline looked marvelous during the party.
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