Starter Grammar reference

Subject pronouns and this, that, these, those

possessive adjectives Near At a distance
Subject pronoun Possessive adjective Singular this that
I my Plural these those
you your • we use this for singular nouns that are near
he his This is my friend, Jan.
she her • we use that for singular nouns that are at a distance
it its That’s my mum in the car park.
we our
• we use these for plural nouns that are near
they their
Are these your keys?
• we use I, you, he, she, it, we and they to describe the • we use those for plural nouns that are at a distance
subject of the sentence
Those boys over there are in our class.
We are in year seven.
He is a teacher. Imperatives
• we always write the pronoun I with a capital letter • we use imperatives to give instructions
Jess is from England and I’m from Spain.
• the positive form is the same as the infinitive
• we use my, your, his, her, its, our and their before a Open your books.
noun to show possession
Do the exercise.
It’s my bag.
This is our classroom.
• we make the negative imperative with don’t
+ infinitive
Don’t write in your books.
a, an and plurals
Please don’t talk.
• we use the article a before singular nouns starting
with a consonant sound
a computer, a hotel
• we use the article an before singular nouns starting
with a vowel sound
an umbrella, an email address
• we form the plural for most nouns by adding -s
school schools
key keys
• for nouns that end -ch, -sh, -s, -ss and -x, add -es
address addresses
box boxes
• for nouns that end in consonant + -y, omit the -y and
add -ies
baby babies
story stories

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 Grammar practice Starter

Subject pronouns and this, that, these, those

possessive adjectives 4 Change the sentences as indicated: singular
1 Order the words to make sentences. Then to plural, near to at a distance. Remember to
choose the correct word in brackets. change the verb if necessary.
1 isn’t / phone / This / (my/I) 1 This is my book. (plural)
This isn’t my phone. These are my books.
2 (you/your) / are / How ? 2 Those are my apples. (near)

3 Mr Scott / teacher’s / (We/Our) / is / name 3 Is that your dad’s car? (near)

4 brother / school / Is / in this / (you/your) ? 4 These are my pencils. (singular)

5 for English / (We/Our) / in this / aren’t / classroom 5 This is my sister, Beth. (at a distance)

6 Spanish / Jack’s Dutch / (his/she) / is / but / mum 6 This is my bag. (plural)

7 Are these your notebooks? (at a distance)

a, an and plurals
8 That’s my friend. (plural)
2 Complete the dialogue with a or an.
A: Excuse me, have you got my bag?
B: What colour is it? Imperatives
A: It’s 1  a black bag with white letters
on it. 5 Which instructions are correct? There are three.
B: I’ve got two black bags here. What’s in your bag? 1 Don’t not talk in the library.
A: Let me think – 2 orange notebook, 2 Check your answers in pairs.
3 pencil case, 4 3 Please to write your answers in pencil.
English book, 5 apple and 4 Don’t copying the vocabulary.
6 mobile phone.
5 Open the window, Carlos.
3 Complete the table. 6 Don’t eat in the classroom.
7 Listen the conversation and write the answers.
Singular Plural 8 Working in groups of three.
window 1 windows
2 doctors
computer 3
4 cinemas

5 boxes
address 6
7 watches
sandwich 8

party 9
10 babies
11 cities
family 12

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1 Grammar reference

be: affirmative be: questions and short

Full form Contracted form
answers
I am a teacher. I’m Mexican. • to make questions with be, we put the verb before
the subject
You are You’re
Are you Japanese? Is this your bag?
We are Spanish. We’re from Paris.
They are They’re • there are no contractions in the question form
He is He’s • we don’t use contractions in affirmative short
She is from China. She’s Dutch. answers, but we use contractions in negative short
answers
It is It’s
Are they in your class? Yes, they are. Yes, they’re.
• the verb be has two forms: full and contracted; Is he in the football team? No, he isn’t.
we normally use contracted forms after pronouns
• to make a contraction, we omit a letter from the verb Question Affirmative Negative
and mark the missing letter with an apostrophe (’) short answer short answer
Am I in this Yes, I am. No, I’m not.
• we use am after I; for the contracted form, we omit a-
class?
am ’m
Are you/we/ Yes, you/we/ No, you/we/
I’m 11. Yes, I am Mexican. they from they are. they aren’t.
• we use are after you (singular and plural), we and they; Australia?
for the contracted form, we omit a- Is he/she/it Yes, he/she/it is. No, he/she/it
are ’re Chinese? isn’t.
You’re in this class. Jose and Miguel are from Seville.
They’re in the city centre.
• we use is after he, she and it; for the contracted form
we omit i-
is ’s
He’s from Poland. Our teacher is in a meeting. The cat is
very old.

be: negative
• we form the negative of the verb be with not after
the verb
I’m not in this class.
He isn’t eleven.
We aren’t in Class 8A.
• notice the contracted form
I am I’m not
You are You aren’t (Also possible: you’re not)
We are We aren’t (We’re not)
They are They aren’t (They’re not)
He is He isn’t (He’s not)
She is She isn’t (She’s not)
It is It isn’t (It’s not)

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 Grammar practice 1
be: affirmative be: questions and short
1 Match 1–6 with a–f to make sentences. answers
1 Carole’s mother a is a very modern city. 5 Which question is correct, a or b?
2 My friend and I b ’re teachers. 1 a Are you from Argentina?
3 I c is from Canada. b You are from Argentina?
4 Dubai d ’s 12. 2 a Are she Martin’s sister?
5 They e are in the same class. b Is she Martin’s sister?
6 He f ’m in the basketball team. 3 a Is your Dad a doctor?
b Are your Dad a doctor?
2 Complete the sentences with the affirmative
form of be. Use contracted forms if possible. 4 a Are your parents at home?
1 This city is very old. b Are at home your parents?
2 Those dogs very ugly. 5 a Am I in your group.
3 My brother and I in a band. b Am I in your group?
4 You in Class 7C. 6 Match questions 1–6 with answers a–f.
5 She my English teacher. 1 Is your name Lara? b
6 My friend Altan 12. 2 Are you 12?
3 Are your parents from Chile?
be: negative 4 Is your sister married?
3 Rewrite the sentences in the negative form. 5 Are we good at English?
1 This is my bag. 6 Is Daniel your brother?
This isn’t my bag. a Yes, she is.
2 Micky and James are brothers. b No, it isn’t.
c Yes, he is.
3 I’m Spanish. d Yes, we are.
e No, they aren’t.
4 You’re in this class. f No, I’m not.

5 She’s our sports teacher. 7 Write complete questions and answers.

1 Detroit / a noisy / city ? (+)
6 Singapore is a dirty city. Is Detroit a noisy city?
Yes, it is.
2 Morocco / in Europe ? (–)
4 Correct the sentences with the information in
brackets.
1 Athens is a modern city. (old) 3 your mother / Australian ? (+)
Athens isn’t a modern city. It’s an old city.
2 My sister and I are from Lisbon. (Porto)
4 Istanbul and Rio de Janeiro / capital cities ? (–)
3 Alaska and Siberia are hot places. (cold)

4 Machu Picchu is in Brazil. (Peru) 5 your parents / from the same country ? (+)

5 I’m from Birmingham. (Manchester)

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2 Grammar reference

have got: affirmative and Possessive ‘s

negative • we use an apostrophe (’) to show possession

Affirmative
• we use ’s with a singular noun
my sister’s husband
I/You/We/They ’ve got (have got) a car.
He/She/It ’s got (has got) a pet. • we normally write an apostrophe (without -s) after a
plural noun
Negative This is my grandparents’ house.
I/You/We/They haven’t got (have not got) a • with irregular plurals which don’t end in -s, we add ’s
computer. for possession
He/She/It hasn’t got (has not got) any the children’s mother
cousins.
have got: questions and short
Affirmative Negative
I’ve got a car. I haven’t got a computer.
answers
You’ve got a car. You haven’t got a computer. Questions Short answers
He’s got a car. He hasn’t got a computer. Have I/you/ Yes, I have.
She’s got a car. She hasn’t got a computer. we/they you
It’s got a car. It hasn’t got a computer. we
We’ve got a car. We haven’t got a computer. got a sister? No, they haven’t.
They’ve got a car. They haven’t got a computer. Has he/she/it Yes, he has.
she
• we use have got to talk about possession
No, it hasn’t.
• have got has two forms: full and contracted; we
normally use contracted forms after pronouns • to make questions with have got, we put the subject
I’ve got two brothers. between have/has and got
Jane and Freddy have got a house in France. Have we got English class today?
Has she got any hobbies?
• we use have got after I, you (singular and plural),
we and they; for the affirmative contracted form, • we don’t use contractions in affirmative short
we omit ha- answers, but we use contractions in negative short
have got ’ve got answers
We’ve got Mrs Clark for English this year. Have you got a cat? Yes, I have.
Has it got a name? No, it hasn’t.
• for the negative contracted form, we omit the -o-
in not
have not got haven’t got
I haven’t got brown hair.
• we use has got after he, she and it; for the affirmative
contracted form, we omit ha-
has got ’s got
She’s got green eyes.
• for the negative contracted form, we omit the -o-
in not
has not got hasn’t got
He hasn’t got a pen.

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 Grammar practice 2
have got: affirmative and have got: questions and short
negative answers
1 Match a–b with 1–2 to make sentences. 5 Complete the questions with the missing
1 a Sarah 1 got a black pen. words.
b I haven’t 2 ’s got blue eyes. 1 Have I got a piano lesson this
2 a Our car 1 hasn’t got a radio. evening?
b My friends 2 haven’t got any money. 2 Have we football on Saturday?
3 a We have 1 has got a moustache. 3 your brother got a lot of
homework?
b Our teacher 2 n’t got English today.
4 your friends got a party this
2 Write complete sentences with have got. weekend?
1 Julia / a sister 5 you got time to meet today?
Julia’s got a sister. 6 Has the class an exam this
week?
2 We / a big car
6 Match short answers a–f with the questions in
3 The teacher / not / a key to the classroom exercise 5.
a No, he hasn’t.
4 I / not / a bicycle b Yes, you have. 1
c Yes, it has.
5 My city / not / an airport d No, I’m sorry, I haven’t.
e No, we haven’t.
f Yes, they have.
Possessive ’s
7 Correct the mistakes.
3 Choose the correct answer. 1 A: Has your school got a computer centre?
1 Laura’s mother is a doctor. B: No, it haven’t.
a Lauras b Laura’s c Lauras’ No, it hasn’t.
2 My phone isn’t blue; it’s black. 2 A: Has your grandmother got glasses?
a fathers b fathers’ c father’s B: Yes, have.
3 My are in a different class.
a friends b friend’s c friends’ 3 A: Have your grandfather got a beard?
4 Is that your car? B: No, he hasn’t.
a teacher b teachers c teacher’s
4 A: Have your parents got two cars?
4 Are the sentences correct or incorrect?
B: Yes, they’ve.
Correct the incorrect sentences.
1 George is Melanie son.
5 A: Has your sister and brother got any hobbies?
George is Melanie’s son.
B: Yes, they have.
2 That’s my mothers’ umbrella.

6 A: Have you got any books about robots?

3 This is my sister’s house.
B: No, we hasn’t.

4 It’s Silvias party tonight!

5 My cousin’s names are Archie and Bethany.

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3 Grammar reference

Countable and uncountable there is/are

nouns Affirmative Negative
• we can count some things There’s (There is) There isn’t a cinema.
Singular
• before singular countable nouns, we use a/an or the a hospital.
number one There are some There aren’t any
a computer, an umbrella, one bag Plural students in the buses.
classroom.
• before plural countable nouns, we use a number
or some
Question Short answers
I’ve got two pens and some books.
Is there a doctor Yes, there is./
• some things are uncountable; they don’t have Singular
here? No, there isn’t.
a plural Are there any Yes, there are./
Plural
• before uncountable nouns, we use some or nothing taxis? No, there aren’t.
They’ve got pasta, water, some juice and some cheese.
• we use there is/there are to describe the things in
• some nouns are both countable (if an individual a place
thing) and uncountable (if a part of a big thing)
• we use there is before singular or uncountable nouns
I’d like an ice cream. (= an individual one, only for me)
There’s a hotel near the station.
I’d like some ice cream. (= a portion, part of a bigger Is there any cheese?
quantity)
• we use there are before plural nouns
There are 25 students in my class.
some, any, a lot of
• we use some with both countable nouns in the plural
and uncountable nouns
We’ve got some apples and some bread.
• we use a lot of with both countable and uncountable
nouns to describe a big number or amount
My school has got a lot of students.
He’s got a lot of money.
• we use any with negative sentences and questions
He hasn’t got any cousins.
Have you got any free time today?

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 Grammar practice 3
Countable and uncountable 4 Choose the correct option.
nouns Paolo: Have you got 1 some/any books to take
home?
1 Decide if the words are countable (C) or Librarian: Yes, we’ve got 2 any/a lot of books you
uncountable (U). can take home.
1 coffee U Paolo: Have you got 3 some/any computers to
2 oil use here?
3 sandwich Librarian: Yes, we’ve got 4 any/some computers in
the student study area.
4 nephew
Paolo: Have you got 5 any/a lot of books
5 hair about karate?
6 taxi Librarian: We haven’t got 6 any/some books only
about karate, but we’ve got 7 some/any
2 Complete the sentences with a, an or some. books about sport.
1 My sister’s got a boyfriend.
2 Oh, no. I haven’t got umbrella! there is/are
3 I’ve got emails to answer.
4 We’ve got Australian boy in our 5 Complete the sentences with is or are.
class. 1 There are three computers.
5 Naomi’s got water. 2 There a restaurant.
6 It’s book about insects. 3 There some cafés.
4 There some bread.
some, any, a lot of 5 There an umbrella.
6 There a lot of potatoes.
3 Write sentences with have got and some, any
or a lot of. 6 Complete the sentences with is, isn’t, are or
1 water (+++) aren’t. Use contractions where possible.
We’ve got a lot of water. There 1 are a lot of students from other
2 money (+) countries in my class. There 2 two
boys from Romania and there 3
a girl from Panama. There 4 four
3 books (+++)
students from China. There 5
some students from South America, but there
4 pencils (0) 6 any people from the USA. There
7 a problem with language.
5 homework (+) Everyone speaks English.

6 exams (0)

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4 Grammar reference

Present simple: affirmative Present simple: Yes/No

• we use the present simple to talk about routine questions and short answers
actions and facts
• we use do to make Yes/No questions and short
• for I, you, we and they, the form is the same as the answers with I, you, we, they
infinitive Do you live here? Yes, I do./No, I don’t.
I live in Monterrey. They get up at 7:00.
• we use does to make Yes/No questions and short
• for he, she and it, we add -s to most verbs answers with he, she, it
She lives in Monterrey. He gets up at 8:00. Does your friend play the guitar?
Yes, he does./No, he doesn’t.
Spelling: present simple third
person singular Present simple: Wh- questions
• most verbs add -s • we use a question word (Who, What, etc.) and do to
make Wh- questions with I, you, we, they
start it starts
What time do classes start?
• for verbs that end in -o, -ch, -sh and -x, add -es
go he goes
• we use a question word (Who, What, etc.) and does to
make Wh- questions with he, she, it
watch she watches
Where does your mother work?
• for verbs that end in consonant + -y, change to -ies
study he studies love/like/don’t like/hate +
• some verbs are irregular noun
have she has
Subject Object
Present simple: negative I me
• after I, you, we, and they, we form the negative with you you
don’t + verb he him
I don’t speak German. They don’t go to my school. she her
• after he, she and it, we form the negative with it it
doesn’t + verb we us
She doesn’t have lunch at school. they them
That cat doesn’t eat fish.
• we use pronouns with like, love, hate, etc. to describe
the object of an action
I love it! She hates them.

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 Grammar practice 4
Present simple: affirmative Present simple: Yes/No
1 Write the third person singular of the verbs. questions and short answers
1 write writes 5 play 5 Complete the dialogues with do, does, don’t,
2 read 6 copy doesn’t, like or likes.
3 finish 7 do 1 Ian:  Do you like Indian
4 have 8 drink food?
Ben: No, I .
2 Complete the sentences with the correct form 2 Jay:  your friend
of the verbs in brackets. basketball?
1 Jan plays the guitar. (play) Kim: No, he . He
2 Misha and Sebastian judo. (do) tennis.
3 Clare Chinese. (study)
4 My grandmother in Warsaw. (live) Present simple: Wh- questions
5 The people in my class video
games. (love) 6 Write questions about the underlined
6 My best friend at my house on
information.
Fridays. (stay) 1 I live in Liverpool.
Where do you live?
Present simple: negative 2 She gets up at half past seven.

3 Write complete negative sentences. 3 He has fruit for breakfast.

1 I / play / the piano
I don’t play the piano. 4 Their grandmother cooks their dinner.
2 Shari / listen / to the teacher
5 We go shopping at the supermarket.
3 My cousins / live / in Texas

4 We / speak / French love/like/don’t like/hate +

noun
4 Complete the text with the correct form 7 Choose the correct option.
of the verbs in brackets.
1 Your parents are very nice – I like him/them.
3.75 million people 1 visit (visit / +) the
London Eye every year. The Eye is a very big wheel. 2 My piano teacher is very strict; he’s a good
It 2 (move / +) very slowly and it teacher, but I don’t like he/him.
3 (stop / –) all day. On the Eye, 3 This book is great – I love it/her.
visitors 4 (take / +) photos and 4 Tania is great – all the class like her/she.
they 5 (enjoy / +) the fantastic 5 We don’t like our music teacher and she doesn’t
views of London. The Eye 6 like we/us.
(open / –) at the same time all year: the opening
6 I like Freddy, but I don’t think he likes her/me.
hours 7 (change / +). This week,
it 8 (open / +) at 11:00 and
9 (close / +) at 18:00. It
10 (close / –) at lunchtime. Ticket
prices 11 (start / +) from £27.

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5 Grammar reference

can and can’t Spelling: comparative

I/You/He/She/It/We/They can swim.
adjectives
can’t swim. One-syllable adjectives
add -er tall – taller
• we use can to talk about ability
short – shorter
• after can we use the infinitive without to Most one-syllable adjectives ending in consonant
I can dance the tango. + vowel + consonant
• we don’t add -s in the third person singular double final consonant hot – hotter
Stephen can play the guitar. and add -er thin – thinner
• we don’t use the auxiliary do with can in the Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y
negative form change to -ier heavy – heavier
• we use not (contraction n’t) to form the negative curly – curlier
They can’t speak French. I can’t cook. Adjectives with two or more syllables
use more + adjective boring –
can: questions and short more boring
dangerous –
answers more dangerous
Questions Short answers Irregular adjectives
good – better
Can you the Yes, I can.
play piano? No, I can’t. bad – worse

Which
languages
can you
speak?
French and
Spanish.
Possessive pronouns
• we use a possessive adjective before a noun
• to make a Yes/No question, we put the verb before
That’s my bag.
the subject
• we use a possessive pronoun when there is no noun
• to make a short answer, we use Yes, (I) can./No,
(I) can’t. It’s mine.
Can she ride a bike? No, she can’t. Subject Possessive Possessive
• to make a Wh- question, we use a question word pronoun adjective pronoun
(Who, What, etc.) before can I my mine
What can you cook? you your yours
he his his
Comparative adjectives she her hers
• we use a comparative adjective to compare two it its –
things
we our ours
• after the comparative adjective, we use than they their theirs
Jack is taller than Sam.

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 Grammar practice 5
can and can’t 4 Write comparative sentences about the
information with the adjectives in the box.
1 Choose the correct option.
cheap/expensive ​fast/slow ​old/young  ​short/tall
1 A: Can you play/to play the guitar?
B: No, I can/can’t. 1 Ray is 1 m 65.
2 We can’t/don’t can speak Spanish. Jon is 1 m 78.
3 Jamie cans/can carry your bag. Ray is shorter than Jon. Jon is taller than Ray.
4 A: You can help me/Can you help me with the 2 The XJ Reflex Camera costs €290.
homework? The Snappit Camera costs €99.
B: Yes, can/Yes, I can.
3 Going to school by car takes 15 minutes.
can: questions and short Going to school by bus takes 35 minutes.
answers
4 My sister is ten years old.
2 Write complete conversations. My brother is eight years old.
1 he / run fast ? (+)
Can he run fast?
Yes, he can. Possessive pronouns
2 you / spell keyboard? (+)
5 Which sentence is correct?
1 Those books are my. ✗
2 Where’s Tom? Is that bike him?
3 your grandfather / use a touchpad? (–)
3 Are these pens your?
4 That laptop is hers.
5 This is our table and that one is theres.
4 your friends / play any musical instruments? (–)
6 Correct the incorrect sentences in exercise 5.
1 Those books are mine.
5 you / cook dinner tonight? (+)

6 Elena / sing (–)

7 Complete the sentences with the correct
possessive pronoun.
Conversation 1
A: Is that Harry’s mobile?
Comparative adjectives
B: No, it isn’t, it’s 1 (my mobile) mine .
3 Write the comparative of the adjectives. Harry’s is black and 2 (my mobile)
is blue.
1 tall taller
2 cold Conversation 2
3 beautiful A: Is this book 3 (your book) ?
4 bad B: No, it’s not 4 (my book) . Ask
5 heavy Roberta. I think it’s 5 (her book) .
6 old Conversation 3
7 thin A: Which table is 6 (your table) ?
8 slow B: The one next to the door.
A: No, Karen says that’s 7 (their table) .
B: Yes, 8 (her table) is on the left.
9 (Our table) is on the right.
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6 Grammar reference

Present continuous: Present continuous: Yes/No

affirmative and negative questions and short answers
Affirmative Negative be Subject Verb -ing Short answers
I’m listening to music. I’m not listening to music. Am I Yes, I am.
You/We/They’re listening You/We/They aren’t No, I’m not.
to music. listening to music. you Yes, you/we/they
He/She/It‘s listening to He/She/It isn’t listening Are we are.
music. to music. they dancing? No, you/we/they
aren’t.
• we use the present continuous to talk about actions
happening now he Yes, he/she/it is.
Is she No, he/she/it
• we make the present continuous with the affirmative
isn’t.
or negative of the verb be and verb -ing it

• we use time expressions like today, (right) now, this • we make Yes/No questions by putting the verb be
week, at the moment with the present continuous; before the subject
they are usually at the end of a sentence Is he playing a video game?
I’m doing my homework now. Are they watching a film?
They aren’t watching TV at the moment.
• we make short answers with the verb be

Spelling: verb -ing • we don’t make a contraction in an affirmative short

answer
• most verbs add -ing Yes, he is. No, they aren’t.
eat eating see seeing
• for verbs ending in -e, omit the -e and add -ing Present continuous:
write writing have having Wh- questions
• for most verbs ending in consonant + vowel +
consonant, double the final consonant and add -ing Question word be Subject Verb -ing
chat chatting stop stopping am I
you
are we
What they reading?
he
is she
it

• in Wh- questions, the order is question word + be +

subject + verb -ing
Where is she working? Why are they running?

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 Grammar practice 6
Present continuous: Present continuous: Yes/No
affirmative and negative questions and short answers
1 Write the -ing form of the verbs. 5 Put the words in brackets in the correct
1 go going position in the question.
2 clean sitting
1 Q: Is anyone here? (sitting)
3 read
A: No, you can take the chair.
4 make
5 chat 2 Q: Are enjoying the party? (you)
6 meet A: Not much. I don’t know anyone.
7 shop
3 Q: Is your mum working? (today)
8 play
A: Yes, she finishes at six o’clock.
9 change
10
do 4 Q: Is raining? (it)
A: Not now, but take an umbrella.
2 Write affirmative sentences using verbs from
exercise 1. 5 Q: Are you OK? (feeling)
1 Jane is meeting her friends. A: Yes, I’m fine.
2 Rory the windows.
3 We our homework. 6 Write the answers in exercise 5 as short
answers.
4 I to the shopping centre.
1 No, they aren’t.
5 My cousins a video game.
2
6 My mum a book.
3
3 Order the words to make negative sentences. 4
1 isn’t / The film / starting 5
The film isn’t starting.
2 and Frank / swimming / Bernie / aren’t Present continuous:
Wh- questions
3 Spanish / now / speaking / The teacher / isn’t
7 Correct the sentences.
4 playing / We / today / aren’t / tennis 1 Where do you going?
Where are you going?
5 aren’t / with us / dinner / cousins / having / My 2 What those people are doing?

3 What are your grandmother making for lunch?

4 Complete the sentences with the verbs in the
box in the affirmative or negative form. 4 Why are you wear sunglasses?
cook ​do ​​listen ​stay ​swim
5 What are your watching?
1 Ted’s in the kitchen. He ’s cooking dinner.
2 They today. It’s too cold. 6 Why everybody is running?
3 Please be quiet. The students an
exam in here.
4 I to music – it’s a podcast.
5 We in the Grand Hotel, not the
Strand Hotel.

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7 Grammar reference

Past simple of be: affirmative Past simple of regular verbs:

and negative affirmative
Affirmative Negative
• we use the past simple to talk about finished actions
in the past
I/He/She/It was ill. I/He/She/It wasn’t
(was not) cold. • to form the past simple, add -ed to regular verbs
You/We/They were ill. You/We/They weren’t • the verb is the same for all subjects (I, you, he, she, it,
(were not) cold. we, they)
The class started at 9:00.
• the past simple of the verb be is was/were
Yesterday evening we watched a film.
I was at my uncle’s house.
We were late for class.
Spelling: past simple of
• we form the negative with not, normally contracted
regular verbs
to n’t
Jim wasn’t at school. • most verbs add -ed
My parents weren’t at home. walk walked finish finished

• with the past simple, we use finished time • for verbs that end in -e, add -d
expressions (e.g. yesterday, last week) decide decided dance danced
My mother was in London yesterday. • for verbs that end in -y, change to -ied
carry carried study studied
Past simple of be: Yes/No • for verbs that end in consonant + vowel +
questions and short answers consonant, double the final consonant and add -ed
• to make Yes/No questions with was/were, we put the plan planned stop stopped
verb be first
• we form short answers with was/were Past simple of irregular verbs:
• we don’t contract the verb in the affirmative short affirmative
answer • some verbs are irregular in the past simple
Was he an actor? go went have had see saw
Yes, he was. / No, he wasn’t. • for a list of irregular verbs, see page 80
Were they at the cinema?
Yes, they were. / No, they weren’t.

Past simple of be:

Wh- questions
• to make Wh- questions, the order is question word
(Who, What, etc.) + be + subject
Where was the teacher?
How much were your trousers?

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 Grammar practice 7
Past simple of be: affirmative Past simple of regular verbs:
and negative affirmative
1 Complete the text with was, wasn’t, were or 5 Complete the table with the words in the box
weren’t. according to the spelling in the past simple.
My parents 1 were (+) both born in 1977, call ​chat ​dance ​decide ​plan ​play ​
but they 2 (–) born in the same
receive ​stop ​study ​try ​want ​watch
country. My mother 3 (+) born in
Valencia in Spain and my dad 4 (+)
born in Liverpool. Mum 5 (+) a + -ed + -d y + -ied double
doctor in England and they 6 (+) in consonant
the same hospital. But Dad 7 (–) a + -ed
doctor or a nurse: he 8 (+) a patient called
and Mum 9 (+) his doctor!

Past simple of be: Yes/No

questions and short answers
2 Complete the questions with was or were.
1 Were Freya’s parents born in the
same year? Past simple of regular and
2 they born in the same country? irregular verbs: affirmative
3 Freya’s mother born in Madrid?
4 her dad a doctor?
6 Complete the sentences with the correct past
simple form of the verbs in the box.
5 her mother a doctor?
be ​ have ​ leave ​
meet ​
3 Write short answers for the questions in see  ​start ​study ​visit ​win
exercise 2. Use the information in the text in
exercise 1. 1 I started at this school two years ago.
1 Yes, they were. 2 My mum the Arsenal game on
2 TV last night.
3 3 We Turkey last year.
4 4 I my best friend when I was three.
5 5 My friend and I a lot for our
exams.
Past simple of be: 6 We a lot of homework at the
weekend.
Wh- questions 7 Our team the school football
competition.
4 Order the words to make questions.
8 The film very bad so we
1 the film / was / What time ?
early.
What time was the f ilm?
2 late / this morning / Why / you / were ?

3 the actors / Who / in the film / were ?

4 your / How much / new / were / jeans ?

5 parents / Where / last / were / your / night ?

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8 Grammar reference

Past simple: negative Spelling: superlative

• we form the past simple negative with didn’t adjectives
(did not) + infinitive
One-syllable adjectives
• the verb didn’t is the same for all subject pronouns
(I, you, he, she, it, we, they) add -est tall – the tallest
I didn’t have any lunch. short – the shortest
My mother didn’t go to university. Most one-syllable adjectives ending in consonant
+ vowel + consonant

Past simple: questions and double final consonant

and add -est
hot – the hottest
thin – the thinnest
short answers Two-syllable adjectives ending in -y
• we form past simple questions with Did + subject + change to -iest heavy – the heaviest
infinitive
curly – the curliest
• we form short answers with did or didn’t Adjectives with two or more syllables
Did you come by train? Yes, I did. use most + adjective boring – the most boring
Did he buy any oranges? No, he didn’t. dangerous – the most
• to make Wh- questions, the order is question word dangerous
(Who, What, etc.) + did + subject + infinitive Irregular adjectives
Where did you see her? What time did the class start? good – the best
bad – the worst
Superlative adjectives
• we use the superlative when we compare three or
more things, to talk about the most or least extreme
• we use the before the superlative
He’s the tallest in the class.
It’s the coldest day this year.

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 Grammar practice 8
Past simple: negative 4 Complete the questions about Sally Ride,
an astronaut. Ask questions about the
1 Complete the table. underlined information.
1 Where did she live ?
Past simple Infinitive
She lived in California.
began begin
2 ?
did
She studied at the University of California and
had Stanford University.
left 3 ?
met She played tennis. She was very good.
told 4 ?
saw She studied physics.
took 5 ?
won She started studying to be an astronaut in 1978.
6 ?
2 Complete the sentences with the underlined In 1983, she became the first American woman
verb in the negative. in space.
1 Greta took her camera to school, but she
didn’t take her laptop. Superlative adjectives
2 School began on 10th September, but football
training until 15th September. 5 Correct the sentences.
3 I did my maths homework last night, but I 1 I think Arsenal is best team in the world.
my English homework. I think Arsenal is the best team in the world.
4 Mum told me to buy bread, but she 2 Leon is the most tall boy in our class.
me to buy any fruit.
5 Clara left the party early, but Zoe
3 The elephant is the bigger animal on land.
with her.
6 My brother’s team won their match, but my team
our match. 4 In my city, the bus is the most bad way to travel.

Past simple: questions and 5 This restaurant is most expensive in town.

short answers
3 Write questions to complete the dialogue. 6 Complete the questions with the superlative
form of the adjective in brackets.
Luke: Did 1 you do your homework
1 Q: Which is the biggest (big) continent?
yesterday?
A: Asia – it’s four times bigger than the USA.
Emma: No, I didn’t. I’m doing my homework now.
2 Q: Which is (small) country?
Luke: Did 2 early
this morning? A: Vatican City in Rome. Only 800 people live
there!
Emma: No, I got up late. I was tired.
3 Q: Which is (long) group of
Luke: Why? Did 3
mountains?
Ben’s party last night?
A: The Andes in South America.
Emma: Yes, I did. The party was really good fun.
4 Q: Which is (expensive)
Luke: How did you get there? Did
country to live in?
4 the
underground? A: Japan.
Emma: No, I took a bus – it’s quicker. 5 Q: Which is (tall) mountain?
Luke: Did 5 late? A: That’s easy – it’s Everest!
Emma: Not really. I left the party at about 10:00 with
Maria.
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