Past Simple

Past Simple - Exercises and Quiz

These exercises focus on using Past Simple for past actions.

When Do We Use the Past Simple?

1. For actions that happened in the past and are now finished:

Example: I played soccer yesterday.

2. For specific events at a specific time:

Example: She visited her grandma last week.

3. For a series of actions in the past:

Example: He woke up, ate breakfast, and went to school.

How to Form the Past Simple

To make a sentence in the Past Simple, we use:

1. Regular verbs: Add -ed to the verb.

2. Irregular verbs: These verbs change completely in the past, and you need to memorize them.

Regular Verbs in the Past Simple

For regular verbs, just add -ed to the base verb.

Spelling Rules:

1. For most verbs, add -ed:

• play → played

• walk → walked

2. For verbs ending in -e, just add -d:

• like → liked

• dance → danced

3. For short verbs with a consonant + vowel + consonant, double the last consonant and add -ed:

• stop → stopped

• plan → planned

4. For verbs ending in -y after a consonant, change y to i and add -ed:

• study → studied

• cry → cried

Irregular Verbs in the Past Simple

Irregular verbs do not follow the -ed rule. They change completely in the past tense, so you need to memorize them.

Negative Sentences in the Past Simple

To make a negative sentence, use did not (or didn’t) + the base verb. Do not change the verb to the past form in negatives.

Short Forms (Contractions):

• Did not = didn’t

Examples:

• He didn’t eat dinner.

• We didn’t see the movie.

Questions in the Past Simple

To ask a question in the past simple, use did + the subject + the base verb.

Short Answers:

• Yes, I did / No, I didn’t.

• Yes, she did / No, she didn’t.

Time Expressions Used with the Past Simple

We often use the Past Simple with time expressions to show when something happened.

• Yesterday: I went to the park yesterday.

• Last (last night, last week, last month, last year): She visited her grandma last week.

• Ago: They moved here three years ago.

• In + year: We met in 2020.

Common Errors and How to Fix Them

1. Forgetting "did not" in negative sentences:

• Incorrect: She did not went to the party.

• Correct: She did not go to the party.

2. Using the past form of the verb after "did" in questions:

• Incorrect: Did you went to the store?

• Correct: Did you go to the store?

3. Forgetting the -ed ending for regular verbs:

• Incorrect: I play soccer yesterday.

• Correct: I played soccer yesterday.

4. Using the base form for irregular verbs:

• Incorrect: She go to school last week.

• Correct: She went to school last week.

Everyday Use of the Past Simple

You can use the Past Simple to talk about:

• What you did yesterday: "I watched TV yesterday."

• Something you finished last week: "We finished our homework last week."

• A trip or vacation: "They went to Spain last summer."

Have a look at this lesson to understand the difference between Past Simple vs Past Continuous. 

Practice Sentences

FAQ

When do I use the Past Simple?

Use the Past Simple to talk about actions that are finished and happened in the past. For example: "I went to the store yesterday."

How do I form the Past Simple for regular verbs?

For regular verbs, add -ed to the verb. Example: "I played soccer."

How do I make a negative sentence?

Use did not + the base form of the verb. Example: "She did not go to school."

How do I ask a question in the Past Simple?

Use did + the subject + the base form of the verb. Example: "Did you eat lunch?"

What’s the difference between regular and irregular verbs?

Regular verbs add -ed to form the past, while irregular verbs change completely. For example: play → played (regular) vs. go → went (irregular).