Fun Grammar Lessons

Simple Past
1 Grammar Notes 2

2 Past Forms 6

3 Fill in the Blanks 8

4 Yesterday 10

5 Class Survey 11

6 Writing 12

7 Interview 13

8 Quiz 14

9 Irregular Verb List 15

A Answer Key 17

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

1 Grammar Notes
A. Use
Past Present Future
We use the simple past
to talk about finished
actions that happened
in the past.

Common Time Markers Examples

yesterday We went to the mall yesterday.

last You called me last night.

ago The students had a test three days ago.

when I learned to swim when I was a child.

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

1 Grammar Notes cont.

B. Form

Sentences
Type of Verb Patterns Examples

• I talked to my friend yesterday.

• It rained last weekend.
regular verbs base verb + -ed
• The boy cleaned his room.
• The flowers bloomed last spring.

• I had a good day yesterday.

• She read a book last night.
irregular verbs various changes*
• My dog went to the vet two days ago.
• The children ate their dinner.

I / he / she / it + was • I was sick yesterday.

you / we / they + were • They were at the mall two days ago.
Be verb
singular count noun /
• The teacher was on holidays.
non-count noun + was

plural count noun + were • The students were tired.

*Note:
For a list of common irregular
verbs, see pages 15–16.

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

1 Grammar Notes cont.

B. Form cont.

Negative Sentences
Type of Verb Patterns Examples

• My classmate did not pass the exam.

regular verbs did not / didn’t + base verb
• My classmate didn’t pass the exam.

• They did not do their homework.

irregular verbs did not / didn’t + base verb
• They didn’t do their homework.

• She was not at home last night.

was not / wasn’t
• She wasn’t at home last night.
Be verb
• The books were not in the library.
were not / weren’t
• The books weren’t in the library.

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

1 Grammar Notes cont.

B. Form cont.

Questions
Type of Verb Patterns Examples

did + subject + base verb • Did you walk the dog?

regular verbs
Wh- + did + subject + base verb • What did you ask the teacher?

did + subject + base verb • Did you bring a jacket?

irregular verbs
Wh- + did + subject + base verb • What did you make for dinner?

was / were + subject • Was he at school yesterday?

Be verb
Wh- + was / were + subject • Where were you?

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

2 Past Forms
Write the simple past form of the verbs below.

A. Regular Verbs
# Base Form Past Form # Base Form Past Form

E listened
Ex walk walked 10 listen

talked 11 asked
1 talk ask

2 decide decided 12 carry carried

3 learn learned 13 laugh laughed

4 plan planne 14 hope hoped

5 dance danced 15 check checked

16 cried
6 wash washed cry

7 brush brushed 17 like liked

8 clean cleaned 18 hug hugged

9 study studied 19 play played

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

2 Past Forms cont.

B. Irregular Verbs
# Base Form Past Form # Base Form Past Form

E done
Ex run ran 10 do

1 go gone 11 catch caught

2 teach taught 12 sleep caught

3 sing sung 13 begin begun

4 know known 14 fall fallen

5 think thought 15 choose chosen

6 bring brought 16 read read

taken
7 make made 17 take

18 seen
8 be been see

9 have had 19 write written

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

3 Fill in the Blanks

A. Sentences
Write the simple past form of the verbs in the sentences.

Ex We         
drove to our cabin last weekend.
(drive)

1 I walked to school yesterday.

(walk)

2 I took the bus to school two days ago.

(take)

3 went
Three weeks ago, we to Hawaii.
(go)

4 The students read quietly for an hour yesterday.

(read)

5 When I was a child, I rode my bike every day.

(ride)

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 Simple Past
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3 Fill in the Blanks cont.

B. Negative Sentences
Write the negative past form of the verbs in the sentences.

Ex I didn’t bring
              my jacket on the camping trip.
(not bring)

1 The boy didn't catch the ball.

(not catch)

didn't watch
2 The children TV last night.
(not watch)

didn't do
3 They their homework after dinner last night.
(not do)

didn't clean
4 She her room last week.
(not clean)

5 When I was a child, I didn't eat broccoli.

(not eat)

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

4 Yesterday
What did you do yesterday?
Use the pictures to write sentences.

Ex
I woke up at 6:00 am.

1 I brushed my teeth.

2 I ate my breakfast

3 I took the bus

4 I studied English.

5 I ate my sandwich

6 I played tennis

7 I ate my dinner.

8 I went to sleep.

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

5 Class Survey
Ask your classmates about what they did last weekend.
Fill in the chart.

Last Saturday Last Saturday Last Saturday

Name Last Sunday
morning afternoon night

Me

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

6 Writing
Write a paragraph about your last vacation or day trip.

Example:
I went to Paris with my family last summer. On the first day, we went
to the Eiffel Tower. We bought tickets to go all the way to the top.
The view was incredible...

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

7 Interview
With a partner, write questions using past Short Answers:
verbs. Then ask each other the questions • Yes, I did. • No, I didn’t.
and write down your partner’s answers.

# Key Words Questions Answers

• study
Ex • last night
Did you study last night? No, I didn’t.

• eat breakfast
1 • yesterday

• talk to a friend
2 • last week

• go to a movie
3 • last weekend

• make a new friend

4 • last year

• go on a trip
5 • last summer

• wake up early
6 • three days ago

• do your homework
7 • the day before yesterday

• quit a bad habit

8 • in the last two years

• watch TV
9 • last Friday night

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

8 Quiz
Circle the correct answer.
b
1 John b to the store yesterday. 7 They for extra homework.
a) is going a) asking
b) went b) asked

2 Two days ago, I a my car. 8 It a last night.

a) washed a) snowed
b) wash b) snew

3 She b her dog to school. 9 Maria a a movie

a) bringed last weekend.
b) brought a) saw
b) sees

4 The children a 10 The little girls b

around the playground. ice cream in the park.
a) ran a) eat
b) runned b) ate

5 My brother b the ball to me. 11 He b video games

a) throwed when he was young.
b) threw a) likes
b) liked

b
6 Our teacher us a story. 12 When I was a child,
a) telled I a TV every day.
b) told a) watched
b) watch

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

9 Irregular Verb List

Base Form Past Form Base Form Past Form

be was, were eat ate

become became fall fell

begin began feel felt

break broke find found

bring brought forget forgot

buy bought get got

catch caught give gave

choose chose go went

come came grow grew

cost cost have had

cut cut hear heard

do did hide hid

draw drew hit hit

drive drove hold held

drink drank keep kept

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

9 Irregular Verb List cont.

Base Form Past Form Base Form Past Form

lay laid sell sold

lead led send sent

leave left shut shut

let let sleep slept

lie lay speak spoke

lose lost spend spent

make made stand stood

meet met take took

pay paid teach taught

put put tell told

read read throw threw

ring rang understand understood

run ran wake woke

say said wear wore

see saw write wrote

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

A Answer Key
2   Past Forms 3   Fill in the Blanks
Students can refer to the Irregular Verbs List on A. Sentences
pages 15–16 while they complete Part B of this exercise.
1. walked 3. went 5. rode
A. Regular Verbs 2. took 4. read

1. talked 7. brushed 14. hoped

2. decided 8. cleaned 15. checked B. Negative Sentences
3. learned/ 9. studied 16. cried
1. didn’t catch 4. didn’t clean
learnt 10. listened 17. liked
2. didn’t watch 5. didn’t eat
4. planned 11. asked 18. hugged
3. didn’t do
5. danced 12. carried 19. played
6. washed 13. laughed
4   Yesterday
B. Irregular Verbs
Answers may vary.
1. went 8. was/were 15. chose
2. taught 9. had 16. read 1. I brushed my teeth.
3. sang 10. did 17. took 2. I ate breakfast. / I ate bacon and eggs.
4. knew 11. caught 18. saw 3. I took the bus. / I took the bus to school.
5. thought 12. slept 19. wrote 4. I studied English. / I went to English class.
6. brought 13. began 5. I ate lunch. / I ate a sandwich.
7. made 14. fell 6. I played tennis.
7. I ate dinner. / I ate pasta.
8. I went to bed. / I slept.

(continued on the next page...)

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 Simple Past
Fun Grammar Lessons

A Answer Key cont.

5   Class Survey Optional Activity:

Answers will vary. To compare the simple present and simple

past tenses, try this activity as a warm-up,
filler, or follow-up task.
6  Writing Write two columns on the board with the
headings “When I was a child...” and “Now...”.
Answers will vary. Then brainstorm five or more common topics
as a class (e.g., food, hobbies, friends, clothes,
7  Interview pets, games, trips, etc.).

As a class or in pairs, have students take turns

Short answers will vary. Make sure students write down making two sentences per topic. Model it once for
their partner’s answers and not their own. You can have them first (e.g., “When I was a child, I had a cat.
them copy exactly what their partners say (Yes, I did/ Now I have two dogs.”). You could also challenge
No, I didn’t) or have them report their partner’s them to ask a question before their partner
answers (Yes, he/she did/No, he/she didn’t). answers (e.g., “Did you have any pets as a
child? / Do you have any pets now?”).
1. Did you eat breakfast yesterday?
2. Did you talk to a friend last week? Alternatively, assign this activity as
3. Did you go to a movie last weekend? individual written homework.
4. Did you make a new friend last year?
5. Did you go on a trip last summer?
6. Did you wake up early three days ago?
7. Did you do your homework Editor’s Note:
the day before yesterday?
Point out the pronunciation difference between
8. Did you quit a bad habit in the last two years?
the base verb read (as in need) and the past verb
9. Did you watch TV last Friday night?
read (as in bed).

Also note that learned is the preferred past

8  Quiz form in North American English, while learnt is
preferred in British English.
1. b 3. b 5. b 7. b 9. a 11. b
2. a 4. a 6. b 8. a 10. b 12. a

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