Past Simple is used to talk about actions or situations in the past. The verb we use in the Past Simple is the Verb II. Let’s see the following examples :
- I went to Copenhagen last year. ( We do not say, “I go to Copenhagen last year.”)
- She died five years ago. ( We do not say, “She dies five years ago.”)
Regular Verbs in Past Simple
Most of the verbs we use in the Past Simple, the Verb II, derives from the verb I + d or ed. Let’s see the following table.
| Verb I (the infinitive) |
Verb II | Verb I (the infinitive) |
Verb II |
|---|---|---|---|
| die enjoy invite work stop |
died enjoyed invited worked stopped |
arrive do want need like |
arrived did wanted needed liked |
Irregular Verbs in Past Simple
Some of the verbs we use in the Past Simple are irregular. They do not end in d or -ed. Let’s see the following table.
| Verb I (the infinitive) |
Verb II | Verb I (the infinitive) |
Verb II |
|---|---|---|---|
| buy catch get go leave meet |
bought caught got went left met |
see sell take teach tear tell |
saw sold took taught tore told |
Negative Sentences & Questions in Past Simple
Past Simple questions and negative sentences use did and didn’t + the infinitive. Let’s see the following examples:
- He didn’t go to work yesterday.
- Did you call him last night?
- What did you do last summer?
- Where did you buy this novel?
To Be in Present And Past Simple
Pay attention to the verb ‘be’ in the Past Simple. Let’s compare the use of ‘be’ in the Present Simple and the Past Simple.
- My wife is at work. She was not at work yesterday.
- I am here, Babe. You were not here last night.
Past Simple Exercises
Exercise I
In this exercise you have to put the right verb in each sentence. Change the verb into the correct Past Simple form if necessary.
| buy catch get be go invite leave meet see sell teach tear tell |
1. My father …. me to speak English when I was a baby.
2. I needed some money so I … my car.
3. She … me she was single. Now I know she is married.
4. I didn’t … anywhere last weekend because I had a headache.
5. The cat … the mouse last night.
6. Those kids … the plane fall down. It hit the bridge by their houses.
7. She … me alone when my love to her began to grow.
8. Yesterday I … her in the elevator of a mall.
9. So, I …. her to dinner and asked her if she still loved me.
10. I … so happy to hear that she still loved me.
Exercise II
Answer the following questions. If possible, ask and answer with your partner.
- Write five sentences describing things you didn’t do last week.
- Write five things you did yesterday that you don’t like doing.
- Ask five questions about what your friend did in the past.
- Tell us your most memorable experience.
- Tell us your scary dream.
Answers
Exercise I
- My father taught me to speak English when I was a baby.
- I needed some money so I sold my car.
- She told me she was single. Now I know she is married.
- I didn’t go anywhere last weekend because I had a headache.
- The cat caught the mouse last night.
- Those kids saw the plane fall down. It hit the bridge by their houses.
- She left me alone when my love to her began to grow.
- Yesterday I met her in the elevator of a mall.
- So, I invited her to dinner and asked her if she still loved me.
- I was so happy to hear that she still loved me.
Exercise II
Different answer are possible.
- First, I didn’t go to work last Friday. Secondly, I didn’t take a shower last Saturday morning. Also, I didn’t have breakfast. Besides, I didn’t go out on Sunday. Finally, I didn’t cook. I just bought my meals.
- Five things I did yesterday and I don’t like. First, I went to work. Also, I took a busway. Then, I had to type so many emails. Not only that, I had to clean the kitchen. Finally, I took a shower late at night.
- What did you do last night? How did you do it? Where did you have your dinner? Did you watch a football match yesterday? What time did you go to bed last night?
- One day I was on the public bus. Suddenly I saw a beautiful girl get on the bus. She sat beside me. I wanted to talk to her but I didn’t know what to say. Finally, she left only when I had an idea to start a conversation.
- When I was a kid, I often dreamt of scary creatures. But, I’m just going to tell you one of them. In my dream, my father and I went to a river to swim. We were swimming for a while when suddenly a gigantic dragon appeared in front of me. I tried to run to follow my father but he ran too fast. Meanwhile the dragon kept on chasing me and it could catch my leg. It bit my hands until I screamed and woke up.
Other Exercises
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