Past Simple exercises worksheets

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Exercise 6

Ask a question using the word in parenthesis:

1. (you/see)   that new movie last night?
2. Why (they/say)   that to her?
3. When (Simon/arrive)   in Las Vegas?
4. (they/tell)   about Sarah’s wedding?
5. How (you/do)   that?
6. (you/smoke)   a cigarette last night?
7. (she/learn)   how to speak german?
8. (Louis/speak)   with you already?
9. (they/tell)   you about the accident?
10. When (he/watch)   that movie?

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ANSWERS

1. Did you see that new movie last night?
2. Why did they say that to her?
3. When did Simon arrive in Las Vegas?
4. Did they tell about Sarah’s wedding?
5. How did you do that?
6. Did you smoke a cigarette last night?
7. Did she learn how to speak german?
8. Did Louis speak with you already?
9. Did they tell you about the accident?
10. When did he watch that movie?

 

Past Simple negative exercises PDF

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Exercise 4

Complete the sentence in negative form :

1. I phoned Tina yesterday. → I  Tina yesterday.
2. I tidied up my room. → I  up my room.
3. Sam became a lawyer. → Sam  a lawyer.
4. We found the map. → We  the map.
5. He spoke Japanese to her. → He  Japanese to her.
6. I sold my house two years ago. → I  my house two years ago.
7. Tom ran after the taxi. → Tom  after the taxi.
8. Hiromi wore her new dress at the party. → Hiromi  her new dress at the party.
9. We went to Paris in February. → We  to Paris in February.
10. I sent an email to Paul. → I  an email to Paul.
11. I flew to Paris last week. → I  to Paris last week.
12. You caught a cold. → You  a cold.
13. Tina drew a comic book. → Tina  a comic book.
14. We drove to the seaside. → We  to the seaside.
15. He left a note for you. → He  a note for you.

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ANSWERS

1. I did not phone Tina yesterday.
2. I did not tidy up my room.
3. Sam did not become a lawyer.
4. We did not find the map.
5. He did not speak Japanese to her.
6. I didn’t (did not) sell my house two years ago.
7. Tom did not run after the taxi.
8. Hiromi did not wear her new dress at the party.
9. We did not go to Paris in February.
10. I did not send an email to Paul.
11. I did not fly to Paris last week.
12. You did not catch a cold.
13. Tina did not draw a comic book.
14. We did not drive to the seaside
15. He did not leave a note for you.

Simple Past tense exercises for beginners

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Exercises 3A and 3B

Put the following sentences in the Simple Past tense:

1. We buy some food. → 
2. They catch a fish. → 
3. He crosses the road. → 
4. They do not sell cookies. → 
5. Does she play football? → 

Make questions with simple past with the words in brackets:

1. (you/dance)   at the club last night?
2. (she/do)   her homework?
3. (Sam/work)   at the post office?
4. (He/help)   you with the cleaning-up?
5. When (I/say)   that?

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ANSWERS 3A

1. We buy some food. → We bought some food.
2. They catch a fish. → They caught a fish.
3. He crosses the road. → He crossed the road.
4. They do not sell cookies. → They did not sell cookies.
5. Does she play football? → Did she play football?

ANSWERS 3B

1. Did you dance at the club last night?
2. Did she do her homework?
3. Did Sam work at the post office?
4. Did he help you with the cleaning-up?
5. When did I say that?

Grammar Exercises: Simple Past Tense

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EXERCISE 1

Put the verb in simple past tense :

1. Simon (come)   to Japan in 2014.
2. Tina (sing)   a lot at the karaoke.
3. The kid (fall)   off his skateboard.
4. I (find)   your shoes under the table.
5. It (be)   very cold this morning.
6. Sam (visit)   his girlfriend last weekend.
7. Ray (arrive)   two days ago.
8. We (go)   to the cinema last night.
9. I (be)   at the supermarket this morning.
10. She (see)   Sarah at the bar last week.

 

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ANSWERS

1. came
2. sang
3. fell
4. found
5. was
6. visited
7. arrived
8. went
9. was
10. saw

Simple Past tense exercises with answers + PDF

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EXERCISE 2

Put the verb in simple past tense: 

1. He  some pie for his grandma. (make)
2. They  (understand) why he did that.
3. I   (hear) this song this morning on the radio.
4. We  (speak) to them last week.
5. She  (spend) a lot of money to get this car.
6. We   (watch) TV for too long.
7. My friend   (forget) his girlfriend’s birthday.
8.  she  (lose) some weight?
9. She  (give) him a nice present.
10. When my dad  (tell) this sad story, I  (cry) a lot.
11. Paul (choose)   to study abroad.
12. John always (keep)   money in his pockets.
13. We (drink)   a lot of beer yesterday.
14. I (sleep)   on the couch last night.
15. She (lend)   her 200$.

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ANSWERS

1. made
2. understood
3. heard
4. spoke
5. spent
6. watched
7. forgot
8. did / lose
9. gave
10. told/ cried
11. chose
12. kept
13. drank
14. slept
15. lent

Simple Past exercises for beginners

Click here to download this online exercise about the verb to be at the Past simple (was / were) in PDF.

Answers are at the bottom of the page.

EXERCISE 6

Put the sentences in the correct form ( interrogative, affirmative or negative) :

1. (I / be / at the pub last night) → I was at the pub last night.
2. (the dogs / be / quiet)? →  
3. (we / be / in a supermarket when you called)? →  
4. (we / not / be / in Korea) →  
5. (I / be / late)? →  
6. (he / be / a football player when he was young) →  
7. (where / we / be)? →  
8. (you / be / okay)? →  
9. (we / be / too tired) →  
10. (how / the movie / be)? →  

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ANSWERS

1. I was at the pub last night
2. Were the dogs quiet?
3. We weren’t in Korea
4. Were we in a supermarket when you called
5. Was I late?
6. He was a football player when he was young
7. Where were we?
8. Were you okay?
9. We were too tired
10. How was the movie?

Was or Were exercises online (+free PDF)

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Answers are at the bottom of the page.

EXERCISE 5

Ask the questions correctly :

1. (what / that noise / be)? →  
2. (who / that boy / be)? →  
3. (how / the party / be)? →  
4. (where / the key / be)? →  
5. (why / the window open / be)? →  
6. (who / the singer / be)? →  
7. (how / your holiday / be)? →  
8. (what / the weather like / be)? →  
9. (why / the kids awake / be)? →  
10. (Sam / be / at the bar)? →  

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ANSWERS

1. What was that noise?
2. Who was that boy?
3. How was the party?
4. Where was the key?
5. Why was the window open?
6. Who was the singer?
7. How was your holiday?
8. What was the weather like?
9. Why were the kids awake?
10. Was Sam at the bar?

Was or Were exercises pdf

Click here to download this online exercise about the verb to be at the Past simple (was / were) in PDF.

Answers are at the bottom of the page.

EXERCISE 1

Was or were ?

Put the verb in past simple tense and in affirmative form :

1. It (be) cold last night → It was cold last night.
2. she (be) thirsty →  
3. we (be) late for the movie →  
4. I (be) tired yesterday →  
5. The exam (be) difficult →  
6. They (be) in Paris last week →  
7. You (be) in the supermarket when I saw you →  
8. The movie (be) fun →  
9. He (be) early for the meeting →  
10. The people we met last night (be) Japanese →  

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ANSWERS

1. was
2. was
3. were
4. was
5. was
6. were
7. were
8. was
9. was
10. were

Exercises Was Were online (+free PDF)

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EXERCISE 2

Ask the questions correctly :

1. (you / be / tired last night)? → Were you tired last night?
2. (the movie / be / good)? →  
3. (we / be / too fast)? →  
4. (he / be / a writer when he was young)? →  
5. (you / be / in the class last tuesday)? →  
6. (he / be / a good player)? →  
7. (he / be / on time)? →  
8. (Tom and Tina / be / at the party)? →  
9. (They / be / in London)? →
10. (where / you / be)? →  

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ANSWERS

1. Were you tired last night?
2. Was the movie good?
3. Were we too fast?
4. Was he a writer when he was young?
5. Were you in the class last tuesday?
6. Was he a good player?
7. Was he on time?
8. Were Tom and Tina at the party?
9. Were they in London?
10. Where were you?

Was Were negative exercises (+PDF)

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Answers are at the bottom of the page.

EXERCISE 4

1. That woman (not/be) Australian →  
2. Tom (not/be) late for the class →  
3. The meal (not/be) very good →  
4. They (not/be) my parents →  
5. I (not/be) rude to the teacher →  
6. The exam (not/be) easy →  
7. They (not/be) tired when we arrived →  
8. We (not/be) on the train when I called →  
9. You (not/be) here when she came →  
10. She (not/be) my girlfriend →  

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ANSWERS

1. wasn’t (or was not)
2. wasn’t (or was not)
3. wasn’t (or was not)
4. weren’t (or were not)
5. wasn’t (or was not)
6. wasn’t (or was not)
7. weren’t (or were not)
8. weren’t (or were not)
9. weren’t (or were not)
10. wasn’t (or was not)