The Simple Past
Tense
Introduction
The simple past tense is
one of the most common tenses in English. Its form is the same with all
subjects. It is usually formed by adding -ED to the verb. Before you continue the lesson read the
following passage and try to see how the verbs are formed and used:
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian musician and composer. He lived from 1756 to 1791. He started composing at the age of five years old and wrote more than 600 pieces of music. He was only 35 years old when he died.
The verbs "was, lived,started, wrote, died" are in the simple past tense.
Notice that:
- lived, started,died are regular past forms.
- was, wrote are irregular past forms.
Regular verbs:
The verbs "lived,
started, died" are regular past forms. The rule is the following:|
Verb + ed
|
|
The infinitive
|
The simple past
|
|
live
|
lived
|
|
start
|
started
|
|
die
|
died
|
|
visit
|
visited
|
|
play
|
played
|
|
watch
|
watched
|
|
phone
|
phoned
|
|
marry
|
married
|
Irregular verbs:
The verbs "was, wrote" are irregular past forms. "Was" is the simple past of "to be"; "wrote" is the simple past of "write".There is no rule for these verbs. You should learn them by heart.
|
The infinitive
|
The simple past
|
|
be
|
was/were
|
|
write
|
wrote
|
|
come
|
came
|
|
do
|
did
|
|
meet
|
met
|
|
speak
|
spoke
|
The forms of the simple past:
The Affirmative
form of the simple past:
|
I, you,
he, she, it, we, they
|
played.
|
|
wrote
|
|
|
did.
|
- I played tennis with my friends yesterday.
- I finished lunch and I did my
homework.
The
interrogative form of the simple past:
|
Did
|
I, you,
he, she, it, we, they
|
Play?
|
|
write
|
||
|
do?
|
- Did you play basketball yesterday?
- Did you watch television?
- Did you do the homework?
The negative
form of the simple past:
|
I, you,
he, she, it, we, they
|
did
not/didn't
|
play
|
|
write
|
||
|
do
|
- I didn't like the food in the wedding
last Saturday.
- I didn't eat it.
Remember:
didn't is the short form of did not. You
can say either:- I did not play basketball, or I didn't play basketball.
Exercises:
I.
Put the verbs into the simple past:
- Last
year I (go) _______________ to
England on holiday.
- It
(be) _______________ fantastic.
- I
(visit) lots of
interesting places. I (be)
_______________ with two friends of mine .
- In
the mornings we (walk) _______________ in
the streets of London.
- In
the evenings we (go) _______________ to
pubs.
- The
weather (be) _______________ strangely
fine.
- It
(not / rain) _______________ a
lot.
- But
we (see) _______________ some
beautiful rainbows.
- Where
(spend / you) _______________ your
last holiday?
II.
Write the past forms of the irregular verbs.
|
No.
|
Infinitive
|
Past Verb
|
No.
|
Infinitive
|
Past Verb
|
|
10.
|
Meet
|
|
15.
|
Sing
|
|
|
11.
|
Drive
|
|
16.
|
Do
|
|
|
12.
|
Speak
|
|
17.
|
Sit
|
|
|
13.
|
Put
|
|
18.
|
Stand
|
|
|
14.
|
Write
|
|
19.
|
Run
|
|
III.
Complete the table in simple past.
|
Affirmative
|
Negative
|
Interrogative
|
|
He wrote a book.
|
20.
|
21.
|
|
22.
|
He did not sing.
|
24.
|
|
25.
|
26.
|
Was she pretty?
|
IV.
Put the sentences into simple past.
27. We
move to a new house. → ____________________________
28. They
bring a sandwich. → _______________________________
29.
He doesn't do the homework. → _________________________
He doesn't do the homework. → _________________________
30. They
sell cars. → ______________________________________
31. Does
he visit his friends? → _____________________________
V.
Write sentences in simple past.
32. Janet
/ miss / the bus → _______________________________
33. she
/ tidy / her room → _______________________________
34. Nancy
/ watch / not / television→ _______________________
35. she
/ read / a book → _________________________________
VI.
Choose "Was“ or "Were“:
36. The
teacher ____________ nice.
37.
The students ____________ very clever.
38.
But one student ___________ in trouble.
39.
We _____________________ sorry for him.
40.
He _____________________ nice though.
