ESL Past Tense

​The Past Simple or

Simple Past​ Tense

​The Past Simple Tense with 'be'

S

To make the negative with 'be', just add 'not'​.

​

​I was not/wasn't

He/She/It was not/wasn't

You/We/They were not/weren't​

​Negative

It's similar to the present simple because it has different rules for the verb 'be', which becomes 'was' or 'were'.

​

​I was

He/She/It was

You/We/They were​

​Positive

The 'wh' questions with 'be' (the question word just goes at the beginning, everything else is the same).

​

​Why was I ...?

​How was he/she/it ...?

When were you/we/they ...?​

​'Wh' Questions

To make a question, just like the present simple, we change the position of 'was / were' and the subject.​

​

Was I ...?

Was he​/she/it ...?

Were you/we/they ...?​

​'Yes/No' Questions

​The Past Simple Tense with Other Verbs

We make the past simple just like the present simple except we use 'did' instead of 'do / does'.

​

It's really easy because 'did' doesn't change, even with 'he / she / it'.​

In the negative there aren't any irregular verbs. All verbs use 'did not (didn't) + infinitive':

​

​I did not/didn't walk

He/She/It did not/didn't rain

You/We/They did not/didn't​ eat

​Negative

​We usually make the positive by adding '-ed' to the infinitive. However, there are some irregular verbs, for example 'go' becomes 'went' and 'run' becomes 'ran'.

​

​​I walked (regular) - ate (irregular)

He/She/It cooked (regular) - drank (irregular)

You/We/They played (regular) - found (irregular)

​

​

​

​Positive

The 'wh' questions with 'be' (the question word just goes at the beginning, everything else is the same).

​

​Where did I go?

​What did he/she/it play?

How did you/we/they travel?​

​'Wh' Questions

Questions are also very easy. Just put 'did' before the subject, and the infinitive after it.

​

Did I cook?

Did he​/she/it listen?

Did you/we/they drink?​

​'Yes/No' Questions

​

​Make past simple questions.

​

​_____________ (I/see) you last week?

Did I see you ​

​​'Yes/No' Questions

Fill in the Blanks

(Lucy/pass) the exam?

Fill in the Blanks

(they/stay in) last night?

Fill in the Blanks

(we/go) to Spain in July?

Fill in the Blanks

(you/meet) your father yesterday?

Fill in the Blanks

(it/snow) last winter?

Fill in the Blanks

(the film/start) on time?

Fill in the Blanks

(I/leave) my bag in the taxi?

Fill in the Blanks

(he/play) sport as a child?

​

​Make past simple with be.

​

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​​Past Simple 'Be' Positive and Negative

Fill in the Blanks

It

(be) cold yesterday.

Fill in the Blanks

She

(be) hungry.

Fill in the Blanks

We

(be) late for the meeting.

Fill in the Blanks

I

(be) tired last night.

Fill in the Blanks

You

(be) in the library when I called you.

Fill in the Blanks

He

(be) early for the interview.

Fill in the Blanks

That woman

(not/be) Spanish.

Fill in the Blanks

They

(not/be) my uncle and aunt.

Fill in the Blanks

We

(not/be) tired when we arrived.

Fill in the Blanks

I

(not/be) rude to the waitress.

Fill in the Blanks

He

(not/be) my boyfriend.

Fill in the Blanks

You

(not/be) here when she came.

​

​Try making the English past simple with 'be' - this grammar exercise includes both 'wh' and 'yes / no' question forms.

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​'Wh' and 'Yes / No' Question Forms

Fill in the Blanks

(John / be / at the party)?

Fill in the Blanks

(she / be / a good student)?

Fill in the Blanks

(you / be / tired yesterday)?

Fill in the Blanks

(why / the children awake / be)?

Fill in the Blanks

(I / be / on time)?

Fill in the Blanks

(the weather / be / good)?

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​Make the past simple negative.

​

​

​Past Simple - Negative Form

Fill in the Blanks

I

(not/remember) to buy milk.

Fill in the Blanks

She

(not/cry) much as a baby.

Fill in the Blanks

It

(not/rain) yesterday.

Fill in the Blanks

You

(not/wash) the dishes.

Fill in the Blanks

They

(not/play) tennis yesterday.

Fill in the Blanks

We

(not/go) on holiday last year.

​

​Make past simple questions.

​

​

​Past Simple - 'Wh' Questions

Fill in the Blanks

Where

(you/go) to school?

Fill in the Blanks

When

(she/arrive) ?

Fill in the Blanks

Why

(he/eat) so much?

Fill in the Blanks

What

(they/do) yesterday?

Fill in the Blanks

Where

(I/leave) my glasses?

Fill in the Blanks

Who

(they/talk) earlier?

Fill in the Blanks

What

(we/do) last Christmas?

Fill in the Blanks

Why

(it/rain) on my birthday?