Simple Past Tense

Simple Past Tense

When?

When should we use past tense?

1. A past actione.g. I went to school yesterday..2. A past truthe.g. They were very rich a year ago.

Adverbs that usually use in past tense.:

Yesterday A year ago

Last night Two days ago

Last Sunday The day before yesterday

Structure of simple past tense with verb ‘to be’:

Question:

Were you/we/they (P) in Japan yesterday?

Was I/he/she/it (S) happy two days ago?

Statement:

You/We/They(P) were in Japan yesterday.

You/We/They weren’t in Japan yesterday.

I/He/She/It(S) was happy two days ago.

I/He/She/It wasn’t happy two days ago.

Structure of past tense with other verbs:Question:

Did I/you/we/they go to school yesterday?

she/he it(S/P)

Statement:

I/You/We/They went to school yesterday.

He/She/It (S/P) didn’t go

1) A past truth

I was a football player in 1992.

1) A past truth

They were

in an office

yesterday..

2) A past action

I played with my good friend yesterday.

2) A past action

We closed the door three minutes ago.

2) A past action

You cried this morning..

2) A past action

He cuthis finger last night..

Exercises

Try your best!!.

Exercise 1

1. I _____(be) a baby in 1991.2. John _____(be) at home yesterday.

was

was

3. The children ______ (be) happy last night.4. You ______(be) hot four hours ago.

Exercise 1 (Continued)

were

were

Exercise 2

1. I ________(walk) to school this morning.2. Helen _______(read) three books last week..

walked

read

Exercise 2(Continued)

3. They _______(phone) to their friends yesterday.4. It_________(climb) up the tree ten minutes ago.

phoned

climbed

The End

Hints

* yesterday* last _________

* ______ ______ ago* this morning

* in (1994)

was

I

She It

He

be was

were

You

We

They

be were

+edclimb climbedplay playedtalk talkedwalk walkedwash washed watch watched

+d

close closedlike likedlive lived

phone phoned

+ied

carry carriedcry cried

study studiedtry tried

no changecost costcut cuthit hit

read readshut shut

put put