Simple Past (Past Simple)

The simple past expresses an action in the past taking place once, never, several times. It
can also be used for actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another
action.

Form of Simple Past

Positive Negative Question

no differences I spoke. I did not speak. Did I speak?

Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ed

Exceptions in spelling when adding ed Example

after a final e only add d love loved

final consonant after a short, stressed vowel admit admitted

or l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled travel travelled

final y after a consonant becomes i hurry hurried

Use of Simple Past

action in the past taking place once, never or several times
Example: He visited his parents every weekend.

actions in the past taking place one after the other

Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down.

Signal Words of Simple Past

yesterday, 2 minutes ago, in 1990, the other day, last Friday
Exercises
1. Write questions in simple past.
she / home / walk __________________________
you / in the garden / work __________________________
you / a song / sing __________________________
she / on a chair / sit __________________________
you / the castle / visit __________________________
Jenny / the door / lock __________________________
she / happy / be __________________________
Greg / the ball / kick __________________________
the car / at the corner / stop__________________________

2. Rewrite the sentences in the negative.

They collected postcards. _____________________________
You jumped high. _____________________________
Albert played squash. _____________________________
The teacher tested our English. _____________________________
Fiona visited her grandma. _____________________________
He washed the car. _____________________________
You were thirsty. _____________________________
He had a computer. _____________________________
I bought bread. _____________________________
You saw the house. _____________________________

3. Write positive sentences in simple past.

he / the question / answer _____________________________
you / a question / ask _____________________________
the dog / bark _____________________________
they / us / call _____________________________
we / a mountain / climb _____________________________
John / stamps / collect _____________________________
we / in London / live _____________________________
I / hungry / be _____________________________
they / a hamster / have _____________________________
he / to school / go_____________________________

4. Have a look at James's last week's diary and answer the questions in complete
sentences. Put the time expression at the end of the sentence.

Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun

football shopping meeting ring Jane buy flowers concert sailing

cinema tennis English Italian restaurant

When was his English course? The English course was on Thursday
When did he go shopping? ______________________________
When did he buy flowers? ______________________________
When was his meeting? ______________________________
When did he play football? ______________________________
When did he go to the Italian restaurant? ______________________________
When did he ring Jane? ______________________________
When did he go to the cinema? ______________________________
When did he play tennis? ______________________________
When was the concert? ______________________________
When did he go sailing? ______________________________