Simple Past ESL

​The Past Simple or

Simple Past​ Tense

​The Past Simple Tense with 'be'

S

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

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​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'.

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​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).

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​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.​

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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'.

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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':

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​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'.

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

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

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

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​Positive

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

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​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.

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Did I cook?

Did he​/she/it listen?

Did you/we/they drink?​

​'Yes/No' Questions

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​Make past simple questions.

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​_____________ (I/see) you last week?

Did I see you ​

​​'Yes/No' Questions

Fill in the Blank

____ (Lucy/pass) the exam?

Fill in the Blank

____ (they/stay in) last night?

Fill in the Blank

____ (we/go) to Spain in July?

Fill in the Blank

____ (you/meet) your father yesterday?

Fill in the Blank

____ (it/snow) last winter?

Fill in the Blank

____ (the film/start) on time?

Fill in the Blank

____ (I/leave) my bag in the taxi?

Fill in the Blank

____ (he/play) sport as a child?

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​Make past simple with be.

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​​Past Simple 'Be' Positive and Negative

Fill in the Blank

It ____ (be) cold yesterday.

Fill in the Blank

She ____ (be) hungry.

Fill in the Blank

We ____ (be) late for the meeting.

Fill in the Blank

I ____ (be) tired last night.

Fill in the Blank

You ____ (be) in the library when I called you.

Fill in the Blank

He ____ (be) early for the interview.

Fill in the Blank

That woman ____ (not/be) Spanish.

Fill in the Blank

They ____ (not/be) my uncle and aunt.

Fill in the Blank

We ____ (not/be) tired when we arrived.

Fill in the Blank

I ____ (not/be) rude to the waitress.

Fill in the Blank

He ____ (not/be) my boyfriend.

Fill in the Blank

You ____ (not/be) here when she came.

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​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 Blank

(John / be / at the party)?

Fill in the Blank

(she / be / a good student)?

Fill in the Blank

(you / be / tired yesterday)?

Fill in the Blank

(why / the children awake / be)?

Fill in the Blank

(I / be / on time)?

Fill in the Blank

(the weather / be / good)?

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​Make the past simple negative.

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​Past Simple - Negative Form

Fill in the Blank

I ____ (not/remember) to buy milk.

Fill in the Blank

She ____ (not/cry) much as a baby.

Fill in the Blank

It ____ (not/rain) yesterday.

Fill in the Blank

You ____ (not/wash) the dishes.

Fill in the Blank

They ____ (not/play) tennis yesterday.

Fill in the Blank

We ____ (not/go) on holiday last year.

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​Make past simple questions.

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​Past Simple - 'Wh' Questions

Fill in the Blank

Where ____ (you/go) to school?

Fill in the Blank

When ____ (she/arrive) ?

Fill in the Blank

Why ____ (he/eat) so much?

Fill in the Blank

What ____ (they/do) yesterday?

Fill in the Blank

Where ____ (I/leave) my glasses?

Fill in the Blank

Who ____ (they/talk) earlier?

Fill in the Blank

What ____ (we/do) last Christmas?

Fill in the Blank

Why ____ (it/rain) on my birthday?