Grammar Practice Worksheets

Simple Past
Table of Contents
2 Grammar Notes 16 Exercise 10
Simple Past Irregular Verbs: Opposites

7 Exercise 1 17 Exercise 11
Be: Fill in the Blanks Irregular Verbs: Time Markers

8 Exercise 2 18 Exercise 12
Be: Complete the Sentences Irregular Verbs: Positive & Negative

9 Exercise 3 19 Exercise 13
Be: Pair Work Irregular Verbs: Write the Questions

10 Exercise 4 20 Exercise 14
Regular Verbs: Verb Chart Irregular Verbs: Find Someone Who

11 Exercise 5 21 Exercise 15
Regular Verbs: Choose the Correct Verb All Past Verbs: Writing

12 Exercise 6 22 Exercise 16
Regular Verbs: Questions & Answers All Past Verbs: Quiz

13 Exercise 7 23 Irregular Verb List

Irregular Verbs: Verb Chart
24 Answer Key
14 Exercise 8
Irregular Verbs: Choose the Correct Verb

15 Exercise 9
Irregular Verbs: Bingo

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 Simple
Past

Grammar Notes
SIMPLE PAST

A. Use

We use the simple past to talk about

finished actions that happened in the past.

pastpresentfuture

B. Time Markers

Words that show the time of an action are called "time markers."
Common time markers for the simple past are yesterday, last, ago, and when.

Time Marker Examples

• I walked my dog yesterday.

yesterday
• He called me yesterday morning.

• They went to the movies last night.

last
• Our company hired 20 new employees last year.

• She got a new job two months ago.

ago
• Six weeks ago, we moved to New York.

• My brother learned to ride a bike when he was four years old.

when
• When I graduated from university, I applied for many jobs.

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Past

Grammar Notes cont.

C. Form

A common way to form the simple past is to add -ed to the end of a verb.
These verbs are called “regular verbs.”

Other verbs have many kinds of changes.

They are called “irregular verbs.”

The Be verb is a special kind of irregular verb.

It has two forms (was and were). It also has different sentence patterns.

Let’s look at regular verbs, irregular verbs, and the Be verb in more detail.

D. Regular Verbs

To form the past tense of regular verbs, add -ed to the base verb.

Type of Sentence Pattern Examples

• I talked to my friends for hours yesterday.

• They worked until 7:00 pm last night.

Positive base verb + -ed
• She tried to help me two weeks ago.

• My coworkers completed the project.

• He did not study French at school.

Negative did not / didn't + base verb
• My classmates didn't like my speech.

• Did you call me last night?

Question did + subject + base verb
• Did she go on a trip last year?

• When did you leave?

Wh- Question Wh- word + did + subject + base verb
• How did they know about the test?

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 Simple
Past

Grammar Notes cont.

D. Regular Verbs cont.

How do we spell regular past verbs? Follow these simple rules:

# Rule Examples

• like liked
1 If a verb ends in -e, add -d. • arrive arrived
• decide decided

• carry carried
2 If a verb ends in consonant + -y, change -y to -i and add -ed. • try tried
• study studied

• play played
3 If a verb ends in vowel + -y, add -ed.* • stay stayed
• enjoy enjoyed

• hug hugged
If a verb ends in a consonant-vowel-consonant (CVC) pattern,
4 • plan planned
double the final consonant and add -ed.**
• stop stopped

• watch watched
5 For all other verbs, add -ed. • ask asked
• clean cleaned

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 Simple
Past

Grammar Notes cont.

E. Irregular Verbs

To form the past tense of an irregular verb, we must

make a change (in the middle or ending) to the verb.

Type of Sentence Pattern Examples

• She wrote me a long email this morning.

• I ate an entire pizza on the weekend.

Positive various changes* • The staff members met with the boss.

• They rode their bikes to

school when they were young.

• He did not read the newspaper yesterday.

Negative did not / didn't + base verb • My neighbors didn't pay
their rent last month.

• Did you tell her about your accident?

Question did + subject + base verb • Did they go shopping
yesterday afternoon?

• When did you catch a cold?

Wh- Question Wh- word + did + subject + base verb
• Why did you sing that song?

*Note:
For a complete list of irregular verbs,
see page 23 in this lesson.

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 Simple
Past

Grammar Notes cont.

F. Be Verb

To form the past tense of the Be verb, use the words was or were.

Type of Sentence Pattern Examples

I / he / she / it / singular count noun / • I was happy when I was in Hawaii.

non-count noun + was • The teacher was in the classroom.
Positive
you / we / they / • We were sick last month.
plural count noun + were • The children were at the park.

was not / wasn't • He was not at home last night.

Negative
were not / weren't • We weren't at work yesterday.

• Were you in trouble?

Question was / were + subject
• Was your sister at school yesterday?

• Who was that?

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

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 1
FILL IN THE BLANKS

Put the correct past tense form of Be in the blanks below.

Ex. Eva was sick yesterday.

1. We in the same class last year.

2. I tired after a long day at work.

3. The weather beautiful yesterday.

4. My teachers really good last semester.

5. The children hungry after so much exercise.

6. The wind very strong last night.

7. She so happy last week.

8. They nervous on the first day of school.

9. Luckily, the windows closed during the rainstorm.

10. We very happy to get your invitation last week.

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 2
COMPLETE THE SENTENCES

Finish the following sentences using

the negative form of Be in the past tense.

Ex. I am at work today, but I wasn’t at work yesterday.

1. It is cold outside today, but

2. She is sick today, but

3. They are at school today, but

4. The TV show is good today, but

5. The peaches are sweet today, but

6. The class is interesting today, but

7. He is angry today, but

8. The door is locked today, but

9. The exercises are easy today, but

10. The children are tired today, but

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 3
PAIR WORK

Write the questions using the prompt and the simple past tense.
Then interview your partner. Write down your partner’s answers.

# Prompt Question Answer

Ex at home / last night Were you at home last night? No, I wasn't.

1 at school / yesterday

2 at the movies / last weekend

3 at the gym / last week

4 at the mall / last month

5 in another country / last year

6 tired / last night

7 angry / last week

8 sick / last month

9 excited / about your last birthday

10 happy / during your last vacation

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 4
VERB CHART (REGULAR VERBS)

Review the spelling rules on page 4.

Then write the past forms of these regular verbs.

# Base Form Past Form # Base Form Past Form

Ex ask asked 10 laugh

1 brush 11 learn

2 carry 12 like

3 check 13 listen

4 clean 14 plan

5 cry 15 play

6 dance 16 study

7 decide 17 talk

8 hope 18 walk

9 hug 19 wash

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 5
CHOOSE THE CORRECT VERB

Choose a verb from the list on the right to complete the following
sentences. Write the verb in the past tense. Use each verb only once.

Ex. I visited my friend in the hospital last night.

Verb List:
1. The boys baseball in the field behind the school. change
visit
2. Robert his wife wash the dishes. paint
travel
3. We our living room a soft blue color. listen
help
4. Susan TV for two hours last night. arrive
learn
5. We planes on the way to New York. watch
play
6. She for him for 20 minutes at the coffee shop. wait

7. He how to swim when he was a child.

8. They all around the country three years ago.

9. The students late for class.

10. We to the radio until midnight.

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 6
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

A. Write the Answers

Answer the questions using the simple past tense and the prompt.

# Question Prompt Answer

Ex Did Anna bake a cake last weekend? no No, she didn’t.

1 Did the boys play soccer yesterday? yes

2 Did she call her mother last night? no

3 Did you fix your TV yesterday? no

4 Did they play in a band together? yes

5 Did he study history at university? yes

B. Interview Your Partner

Now write five questions using any regular verbs from the list on page 10.
Then ask your partner the questions and write his or her answers.

# Question Answer

Ex Did you watch TV last night? Yes, she did.

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 7
VERB CHART (IRREGULAR VERBS)

Write the past forms of these irregular verbs.

Refer to the list on page 23 if you need help.

# Base Form Past Form # Base Form Past Form

Ex be was, were 10 make

1 begin 11 read

2 bring 12 run

3 catch 13 see

4 choose 14 sing

5 do 15 sleep

6 fall 16 take

7 go 17 teach

8 have 18 think

9 know 19 write

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 8
CHOOSE THE CORRECT VERB

Choose a verb(s) from the list on the right to complete the following
sentences. Write the verb(s) in the past tense. Use each verb only once.

Ex. She broke a plate when she was washing the dishes.
Verb List:
1. They to Paris in a jumbo jet last week.
• buy
• ring
2. I the alarm clock for 7:00 yesterday morning, but I • lie
• break
• teach
up an hour before the alarm clock .
• fly
• set
3. I an email to my friend back home. • send
• wake
• swim
4. He a five-page essay last night.
• feel
• pay
5. His mother care of him when he sick. • meet
• have
• write
6. The teacher the mathematics class
• drink
• give
and then the students three exercises to do for homework. • get
• take
• catch
7. Matthew his wallet on the way to work yesterday.
• lose

He very upset.

8. Angie a bad cold last week. She in bed for three days.

9. The children in the lake behind their house last summer.

10. We a wonderful time at your party last night.

11. I groceries on my way home yesterday and I cash.

12. I three friends at the cafe and

we several cups of coffee together.

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 9
IRREGULAR VERB BINGO

Choose any 24 verbs from the Irregular Verb List on page 23 and write
the past tense forms in the squares. Then play Bingo! Draw an when
you hear your teacher call out a matching verb.

Free
Space

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 10
OPPOSITES

Write the opposite of each verb below. Make sure to use the past tense.
There may be more than one possible opposite, but try to think of one
that has an irregular past form.

# Verb Opposite

Ex gave took

1 remembered

2 bought

3 found

4 sat

5 arrived

6 opened

7 rose (the sun)

8 learned

9 floated

10 saved (money)

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 11
TIME MARKERS

Complete the following sentences using yesterday, last, or ago.

Ex. We went skiing a lot last winter.

1. She came to this country three years .

2. The teacher canceled the class Monday.

3. I spoke to him for ten minutes .

4. We went dancing night.

5. The boss was away morning.

6. We began this class fall.

7. The children ran around outside afternoon.

8. She got married five years .

9. We went shopping .

10. He left five minutes .

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 12
POSITIVE & NEGATIVE

Read the example. Then complete the sentences below using the past
tense. Make the first sentence negative and the second one positive.

Ex. Ben usually eats cereal for breakfast.

6. Ben usually meets his boss in the morning.
He didn’t eat cereal yesterday.
He his boss in the morning.
He ate toast.
He him in the afternoon.

1. Ben usually gets up at 7:00.

7. Ben usually writes ten emails in the morning.
He at 7:00 yesterday.
He ten emails yesterday.
He at 8:00.
He five letters.

2. Ben usually takes a shower.

8. Ben usually eats lunch in the office.
He a shower yesterday.
He lunch in the office today.
He a bath.
He lunch in a restaurant.

3. Ben usually reads the Times newspaper.

9. Ben usually has a lot of appointments every day.
He the Times yesterday.
He a lot of appointments yesterday.
He the Post.
He only a few.

4. Ben usually leaves the house at 8:00.

10. Ben usually gets home at 6:00.
He the house at 8:00.
He home at 6:00 yesterday.
He at 9:00.
He home at 7:00.

5. Ben usually takes a bus to work.

He a bus yesterday.

He a taxi.

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 13
WRITE THE QUESTIONS

Use the correct question word (who, what, where, when, why, how many)
to make Wh- questions in the simple past tense. The bold words are the
answers to the questions.

Ex. Where did she buy that toy?

6.

She bought that toy at Walmart.

She said “hello” to me.

1.
7.

They left the office at 6:00.

I felt sick yesterday.

2.
8.

She didn’t go to work because she was sick.

The sun rose at 6:45 am yesterday.

3.
9.

I spent $80.00 on groceries.

She wore a beautiful dress to the party.

4.
10.

Rosa spoke to the boss.*

The meeting took place in Room 29.

5.

Rosa spoke to the boss.*

*Note:
There is a difference between questions 4 and 5.
Can you explain the grammar rule?

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 14
FIND SOMEONE WHO

Walk around the classroom and ask your classmates questions.

Write the questions in the spaces provided below, and write
your classmate’s name on the right if he/she answers “yes.”

# Find someone... Question Classmate

1 who woke up late this morning. Did you wake up late this morning?

who didn’t take the bus

2
to school this morning.

who ate an egg for

3
breakfast this morning.

who saw a good movie

4
on TV last night.

who bought something

5
expensive yesterday.

6 who had a bad cold last week.

7 who won something last year.

8 who read a great book last month.

who heard some

9
interesting gossip last week.

who went on vacation to

10
another country last year.

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 15
WRITING

Choose one of the topics below. Write a paragraph

using regular and irregular past tense verbs.

Topics: Example:
I went on vacation to Amsterdam last year. It was
• what you did yesterday spring. There were many tulips. I went to a lot of
• what you did last weekend museums and saw a lot of beautiful art…
• what you did during your last vacation

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 Simple
Past

Exercise 16
QUIZ

Circle the correct answer.

1. Two weeks ago, I a new car. 7. They left the city a month .
a) bought a) ago
b) buyed b) last

2. Juan at the store on his way home. 8. She a cold last week.
a) stoped a) cought
b) stopped b) caught

3. I was very tired week. 9. your homework?

a) ago a) Did you finish
b) last b) Did you finished

4. It us two days to write the report. 10. Maya and Louise late for class.
a) taked a) was
b) took b) were

5. How the weather last weekend? 11. They to sell their house.
a) was a) tryed
b) were b) tried

6. Alyssa to go to Spain. 12. Chang to the party last night.

a) decideed a) didn’t go
b) decided b) didn’t went

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 Simple
Past

Irregular Verb List

Base Form Past Form Base Form Past Form Base Form Past Form

be was, were get got read read

become became give gave ring rang

begin began go went run ran

break broke grow grew say said

bring brought have had see saw

buy bought hear heard sell sold

catch caught hide hid send sent

choose chose hit hit shut shut

come came hold held sing sang

cost cost keep kept sleep slept

cut cut know knew speak spoke

do did lay laid spend spent

draw drew lead led stand stood

drink drank leave left take took

drive drove let let teach taught

eat ate lie lay tell told

fall fell lose lost throw threw

feel felt make made understand understood

find found meet met wake woke

forget forgot pay paid wear wore

freeze froze put put write wrote

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 Simple
Past

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION:
LEVEL: Beg – Low Int
This lesson covers the past tense of the Be verb, regular verbs,
TIME: 3–4 hours
and irregular verbs. Through various individual and group activities,
students will get plenty of written and oral practice with the TAGS: simple past, past, past tense, verbs, verb tenses,
affirmative, negative, and question forms of simple past verbs. regular verbs, irregular verbs, Be, spelling,
pronunciation, grammar

Exercise 1 Exercise 3

1. were
6. was Partners’ answers will vary. Make sure students write down their
2. was
7. was partner's answers and not their own. You can have them copy
3. was
8. were exactly what their partners say (Yes, I was/No, I wasn't) or have them
4. were
9. were report their partner's answers (Yes, he/she was/No, he/she wasn't).
5. were
10. were
1. Were you at school yesterday?

Exercise 2 2. Were you at the movies last weekend?

3. Were you at the gym last week?

1.........it wasn’t cold yesterday. 4. Were you at the mall last month?

2 she wasn’t sick yesterday. 5. Were you in another country last year?
6. Were you tired last night?
3 they weren’t at school yesterday.
7. Were you angry last week?
4 it wasn’t good yesterday.
8. Were you sick last month?
5 they weren’t sweet yesterday.
9. Were you excited about your last birthday?
6 it wasn’t interesting yesterday.
10. Were you happy during your last vacation?
7.........he wasn’t angry yesterday.
8.........it wasn’t locked yesterday.
(continued on the next page...)
9.........they weren’t easy yesterday.
10.......they weren’t tired yesterday.

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 Simple
Past

Answer Key cont.

Exercise 4 Exercise 7

1. brushed 8. hoped 15. played 1. began 8. had 15. slept

2. carried 9. hugged 16. studied 2. brought 9. knew 16. took
3. checked 10. laughed 17. talked 3. caught 10. made 17. taught
4. cleaned 11. learned 18. walked 4. chose 11. read 18. thought
5. cried 12. liked 19. washed 5. did 12. ran 19. wrote
6. danced 13. listened 6. fell 13. saw
7. decided 14. planned 7. went 14. sang

Review the spelling rules on page 4 before starting this exercise.

For further spelling practice when forming regular past verbs, try Exercise 8
the worksheet in our Grammar & Usage Resource.
1. flew 7. lost, felt/got
For pronunciation practice, have students read the past
2. set, woke, rang 8. caught, lay
forms out loud. Before that, you may want to hand out our
3. sent 9. swam
pronunciation rules guide and exercise (with audio) in our
4. wrote 10. had
Grammar & Usage Resources.
5. took, got/felt 11. bought, paid
6. taught, gave 12. met, drank
Exercise 5
Exercise 9
1. played
6. waited
2. helped Make sure your students mix up the order of the verbs they copy
7. learned
3. painted down so that they all have a different card. Tell them you will call
8. traveled
4. watched out the base/present verb and that they should draw an over
9. arrived
5. changed the corresponding past form if they have it on their card. The first
10. listened
student to complete a line (horizontally, vertically, or diagonally)
Exercise 6 should shout “Bingo!” To make the game last longer, tell students
they can only yell “Bingo!” when they have two completed lines
A. WRITE THE ANSWERS instead of one.

1. Yes, they did.

2. No, she didn’t. (continued on the next page...)

3. No, I didn’t.
4. Yes, they did.
5. Yes, he did.

B. INTERVIEW YOUR PARTNER?

Questions and answers will vary.

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 Simple
Past

Answer Key cont.

Exercise 10
Exercise 13
Answers may vary. If this task is too difficult for your students,
1. When did they leave the office?
you could write the base forms of the following suggested
2. Why didn’t she go to work?
answers on the board (in a random order).
3. How much did you spend on groceries?

1. forgot 4. Who did Rosa speak to?

6. closed/shut
2. sold 5. Who spoke to the boss?
7. set/went down
3. lost 6. What did she say to you?
8. taught/forgot
4. stood 7. How did you feel yesterday?
9. sank
5. left 8. When/What time did the sun rise yesterday?
10. spent
9. What did she wear to the party?
Exercise 11 10. Where did the meeting take place?

Note Answer: Question 4 is asking about the indirect object

1. ago
6. last (who someone spoke to) and question 5 is asking about the
2. last
7. yesterday subject (who spoke to someone).
3. yesterday
8. ago
4. last
9. yesterday Exercise 14
5. yesterday
10. ago
Classmates’ answers will vary.
Exercise 12
1. Did you wake up late this morning?

1. didn’t get up / got up 2. Did you take the bus to school this morning?
6. didn’t meet / met
2. didn’t take / took 3. Did you eat an egg for breakfast this morning?
7. didn’t write / wrote
3. didn’t read / read 4. Did you see a good movie on TV last night?
8. didn’t eat / ate
4. didn’t leave / left 5. Did you buy something expensive yesterday?
9. didn’t have / had
5. didn’t take / took 6. Did you have a bad cold last week?
10. didn’t get / got
7. Did you win something/anything last year?
8. Did you read a great book last month?
9. Did you hear some/any interesting gossip last week?
10. Did you go on vacation to another country last year?

(continued on the next page...)

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 Simple
Past

Answer Key cont.

Exercise 15 EDITOR'S NOTES:

Answers will vary. Encourage your students to use both 1. In our Verb Cards: Present, Past & Past Participle resource

positive and negative, regular and irregular past verbs. (available in our Grammar & Usage Resources section) you’ll
find cards on pages 1–4 that you can use in a variety of
ways. Page 7 contains a blank card template so that you or
Exercise 16
your students can make your own. https://ellii.com/resources/
grammar-usage/2247-verb-cards-present-past-past-
1. a 3. b 5. a 7. a 9. a 11. b participle
2. b 4. b 6. b 8. b 10. b 12. a
You could use these verb cards with some of the activities

SPELLING NOTES:
suggested in our 5 Fun Activities for Irregular Verbs blog

1. This lesson shows the American spelling of the words post: https://ellii.com/blog/5-fun-activities-for-irregular-

Color, Neighbors, Canceled, and Traveled. Most other English- verbs

speaking countries spell these words this way: Colour,

2. See our spelling rules and pronunciation guide for regular
Neighbours, Cancelled, and Travelled. Make it a challenge for
past verbs in our Grammar & Usage Resources section:
your students to find these words in the lesson and see if
they know the alternate spellings. • Spelling Rules:
https://ellii.com/resources/grammar-usage/2732-
2. Note that in the American spelling of words ending with
spelling-rules-for-regular-past-verbs
the CVC pattern of consonant + e + l, the final l will
usually not double in the most commonly accepted form • Pronunciation Rules:

(e.g., travel traveled, cancel canceled). Most other https://ellii.com/resources/grammar-usage/2733-

English-speaking countries prefer to double the final l pronunciation-rules-regular-past-verbs

(e.g., travel travelled, cancel cancelled).

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