Present Simple vs Past Simple

Present Simple vs Past Simple

In this lesson you are going to understand the differences between these two tenses.

Present Simple

This tense we use to talk about facts and things that are true. For example, our lives, things we do or don't do regularly and so on.

Look at the table

We simply use the verb as it is: live, eat, wake up, attend trainings etc. Pay attention to the 3rd person: he, she, it because we need to add -s or -es.

Now let's look at some sentences

Can you choose the correct option?

Multiple Choice

Mary________(have) a party every weekend.

• have

• has

• had

• hases

Multiple Choice

John and Paul ________(swim) twice a week.

• swim

• swims

• swiming

• swimes

Multiple Choice

Does Sally ________ soap operas?

• watch

• watches

• watchies

• watched

Multiple Choice

I play with my dogs ....

• every day

• on days

• this morning

• tomorrow

Multiple Choice

Frank _________ at university.

• study

• studys

• studies

• studyes

Multiple Choice

My brother _______ live in Brazil.

• don't

• isn't

• aren't

• doesn't

Multiple Choice

Sandra and Ben _______ drink milk.

• don't

• isn't

• doesn't

• aren't

Multiple Choice

Complete the question.
.... Mary like ice cream?

• Do
• Are
• Does
• Is

Multiple Choice

Josh goes to the shopping centre _________.

• now

• yesterday

• on Saturdays

• tomorrow

Multiple Choice

She _________ going to the beach.

• love

• loves

• loving

• has loved

Look at the picture

Basically, the only difference in questions and negative sentences is that we replace do, does with did (which is the past simple irregular form of do). That's why you need to study those words from the table.

The second difference is the 'time words' in the sentence

Past simple requires that we say approximate time when the action happened in the past. e.g. Last summer, yesterday, in 2018.

Let's look at some examples

• I drink water every day.

• I drank 5 glasses of water yesterday.

• I don't like chocolate. (a fact)

• I didn't like chocolate 2 years ago.

• Do you study at Marupe State Gymnasium?

• (After leaving school) Did you study at Marupe State Gymnasium?

Let me remind you exceptions with 'to be'

• I am afraid of spiders. (a fact)

• (When you grow up) I was afraid of spiders when I was a child.

• My sister isn't annoying every day.

• (You as a grown up might say) My sister wasn't annoying when she was little.

• Are you into sports?

• Were you into sports as a teenager? (Somebody might ask you this when you grow up)

Look again at the picture

Let's practise some examples!

Fill in the Blank

I _________ yesterday because I was sad (cry)

Fill in the Blank

Peter didn't __________ the movie last night. (see)

Fill in the Blank

We ________ soup, pasta and salad for dinner last night. (have)

Fill in the Blank

_______ you go to the cinema last weekend?

Multiple Choice

Why did she ___________ (call) you in the middle of the night? 

• called
• call
• didn't call
• callled

Multiple Choice

Did you ____________ (see) Sia last summer? 

• saw
• seeed
• sawed
• see

Multiple Choice

She ___________ (not plan) a surprise party for her husband last year. 

• wasn't plan
• didn't planned
• didn't plan
• didn't planed

Multiple Choice

She ___________  (go) to visit her grandmother yesterday. 

• went
• go
• goed
• goied

Multiple Choice

He ______ (win) the Nobel Prize last year. 

• winned
• wined
• won
• winning

Multiple Choice

Columbus ____________  (discover) America in 1492. 

• discoverred
• discovered
• Discoverd
• Discovering. 

So, can you spot the difference between Present Simple and Past Simple?

Choose the correct option.

Multiple Choice

I like my brother.

• Present Simple

• Past Simple

Multiple Choice

He doesn't sleep much at the weekends.

• Present Simple

• Past Simple

Multiple Choice

His friends don't see him very often because he stays in his room all the time.

• Present Simple

• Past Simple

Multiple Choice

Last Saturday I went to a football match.

• Present Simple

• Past Simple

Multiple Choice

We travelled by bus and the journey took two hours.

• Present Simple

• Past Simple

Multiple Choice

We arrived late for the training yesterday.

• Present Simple

• Past Simple

Multiple Choice

I was shocked when I heard her voice.

• Present Simple

• Past Simple

Multiple Choice

I liked dancing when I was a kid.

• Present Simple

• Past Simple

Multiple Choice

I get ap at 7 am every morning.

• Present Simple

• Past Simple

Multiple Choice

How often do you meet your friends?

• Present Simple

• Past Simple

You did it! Well-done! For further practise, please do the Workbook exercises page 83.