Fun Grammar Lessons Simple Past

Copyright 2019, Red River Press Inc. For use by ESL Library members only. (VERSION 1.1) 1

Fun Grammar Lessons

Simple Past1 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


Simple PastFun Grammar Lessons

Grammar Notes1

A. Use

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.

Past Present Future



Grammar Notes cont.1

B. Form

Sentences

Type of Verb Patterns Examples

regular verbs base verb + -ed

• I talked to my friend yesterday.• It rained last weekend.• The boy cleaned his room.• The flowers bloomed last spring.

irregular verbs various changes*

• I had a good day yesterday.• She read a book last night.• My dog went to the vet two days ago.• The children ate their dinner.

Be verb

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

you / we / they + were • They were at the mall two days ago.

singular count noun / non-count noun + was

• The teacher was on holidays.

plural count noun + were • The students were tired.

*Note:For a list of common irregular

verbs, see pages 15–16.




B. Form cont.

Negative Sentences


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

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

Be verb

was not / wasn’t• She was not at home last night.• She wasn’t at home last night.

were not / weren’t• The books were not in the library.• The books weren’t in the library.




B. Form cont.

Questions


regular verbsdid + subject + base verb • Did you walk the dog?

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

irregular verbsdid + subject + base verb • Did you bring a jacket?

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

Be verbwas / were + subject • Was he at school yesterday?

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



Past Forms2

Write the simple past form of the verbs below.

# Base Form Past Form

EEx walk walked

1 talk

2 decide

3 learn

4 plan

5 dance

6 wash

7 brush

8 clean

9 study


10 listen

11 ask

12 carry

13 laugh

14 hope

15 check

16 cry

17 like

18 hug

19 play

A. Regular Verbs



Past Forms cont.2


EEx run ran

1 go

2 teach

3 sing

4 know

5 think

6 bring

7 make

8 be

9 have


10 do

11 catch

12 sleep

13 begin

14 fall

15 choose

16 read

17 take

18 see

19 write

B. Irregular Verbs



Ex We to our cabin last weekend.

1 I to school yesterday.

2 I the bus to school two days ago.

3 Three weeks ago, we to Hawaii.

4 The students quietly for an hour yesterday.

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

Fill in the Blanks3

A. Sentences

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

drove(drive)

(walk)

(take)

(go)

(read)

(ride)



Ex I my jacket on the camping trip.

1 The boy the ball.

2 The children TV last night.

3 They their homework after dinner last night.

4 She her room last week.

5 When I was a child, I broccoli.

Fill in the Blanks cont.3

B. Negative Sentences

Write the negative past form of the verbs in the sentences.

didn’t bring(not bring)

(not catch)

(not watch)

(not do)

(not clean)

(not eat)



Yesterday4

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

ExI woke up at 6:00 am.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8



Class Survey5

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

NameLast Saturday morning

Last Saturday afternoon

Last Saturday night

Last Sunday

Me



Writing6

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...



Interview7

With a partner, write questions using past verbs. Then ask each other the questions and write down your partner’s answers.

Short Answers:• Yes, I did. • No, I didn’t.

# Key Words Questions Answers

Ex • study• last night

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

1 • eat breakfast• yesterday

2 • talk to a friend• last week

3 • go to a movie• last weekend

4 • make a new friend • last year

5 • go on a trip • last summer

6 • wake up early • three days ago

7 • do your homework• the day before yesterday

8 • quit a bad habit• in the last two years

9 • watch TV• last Friday night



Quiz8

Circle the correct answer.

1 John to the store yesterday.

a) is going b) went

2 Two days ago, I my car.

a) washed b) wash

3 She her dog to school.

a) bringed b) brought

4 The children around the playground.

a) ran b) runned

5 My brother the ball to me.

a) throwed b) threw

6 Our teacher us a story.

a) telled b) told

7 They for extra homework.

a) asking b) asked

8 It last night.

a) snowed b) snew

9 Maria a movie last weekend.

a) saw b) sees

10 The little girls ice cream in the park.

a) eat b) ate

11 He video games when he was young.

a) likes b) liked

12 When I was a child, I TV every day.

a) watched b) watch



9 Irregular Verb List

Base Form Past Form

be was, were

become became

begin began

break broke

bring brought

buy bought

catch caught

choose chose

come came

cost cost

cut cut

do did

draw drew

drive drove

drink drank

Base Form Past Form

eat ate

fall fell

feel felt

find found

forget forgot

get got

give gave

go went

grow grew

have had

hear heard

hide hid

hit hit

hold held

keep kept



9 Irregular Verb List cont.

Base Form Past Form

lay laid

lead led

leave left

let let

lie lay

lose lost

make made

meet met

pay paid

put put

read read

ring rang

run ran

say said

see saw

Base Form Past Form

sell sold

send sent

shut shut

sleep slept

speak spoke

spend spent

stand stood

take took

teach taught

tell told

throw threw

understand understood

wake woke

wear wore

write wrote



Answer KeyA

2 Past Forms

Students can refer to the Irregular Verbs List on pages 15–16 while they complete Part B of this exercise.

A. Regular Verbs

4 Yesterday

Answers may vary.

1. I brushed my teeth.2. I ate breakfast. / I ate bacon and eggs.3. I took the bus. / I took the bus to school.4. I studied English. / I went to English class.5. I ate lunch. / I ate a sandwich.6. I played tennis.7. I ate dinner. / I ate pasta.8. I went to bed. / I slept.

3 Fill in the Blanks

A. Sentences

B. Irregular Verbs

B. Negative Sentences1. talked2. decided3. learned/

learnt4. planned5. danced6. washed

1. walked2. took

1. went2. taught3. sang4. knew5. thought6. brought7. made

1. didn’t catch2. didn’t watch3. didn’t do

7. brushed8. cleaned9. studied10. listened11. asked12. carried13. laughed

3. went4. read

8. was/were9. had10. did11. caught12. slept13. began14. fell

14. hoped15. checked16. cried17. liked18. hugged19. played

5. rode

15. chose16. read17. took18. saw19. wrote

4. didn’t clean5. didn’t eat

(continued on the next page...)



Answer Key cont.A

Editor’s Note:

Point out the pronunciation difference between the base verb read (as in need) and the past verb read (as in bed).

Also note that learned is the preferred past form in North American English, while learnt is preferred in British English.

Optional Activity:

To compare the simple present and simple past tenses, try this activity as a warm-up, filler, or follow-up task.

Write two columns on the board with the headings “When I was a child...” and “Now...”. Then brainstorm five or more common topics as a class (e.g., food, hobbies, friends, clothes, pets, games, trips, etc.).

As a class or in pairs, have students take turns making two sentences per topic. Model it once for them first (e.g., “When I was a child, I had a cat. Now I have two dogs.”). You could also challenge them to ask a question before their partner answers (e.g., “Did you have any pets as a child? / Do you have any pets now?”).

Alternatively, assign this activity as individual written homework.

8 Quiz

1. b2. a

7. b8. a

3. b4. a

5. b6. b

9. a10. b

11. b12. a

5 Class Survey

Answers will vary.

6 Writing

Answers will vary.

7 Interview

Short answers will vary. Make sure students write down their partner’s answers and not their own. You can have them copy exactly what their partners say (Yes, I did/No, I didn’t) or have them report their partner’s answers (Yes, he/she did/No, he/she didn’t).

1. Did you eat breakfast yesterday?2. Did you talk to a friend last week?3. Did you go to a movie last weekend?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

the day before yesterday?8. Did you quit a bad habit in the last two years?9. Did you watch TV last Friday night?

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Fun Grammar Lessons Simple Past