SIMPLE PAST
We use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started
and finished at a specific time in the past.
AFFIRMATIVE FORM
SUBJECT + VERB (PAST) + COMPLEMENT
Examples: I watched a movie last night
We played tennis last Friday
Remember!
Example: Love- Loved
Watch- watched
But irregular verbs change completely their form
Example: Lose- Lost
Go- Went
I went to the cinema yesterday
You will have to learn the list of irregular verbs in
English
One winter's day, when the snow was falling, a beautiful queen
sat sewing by a window. As she
looked out on to the white garden
she saw a black raven, and while she
looked at it she accidentally pricked
her finger with the needle. When she
saw the drop of blood she thought
to herself, "How wonderful it would
be if I could have a little girl whose
skin was as white as the snow out
there, her hair as black as the raven and her lips as red as this
drop of blood."…….
EXERCISES
I- Complete the table with the verbs in the past
simple:
Infinitive Affirmative
to dance
To open
To study
To walk walked
To cook
To travel
To invent
To like
II- Fill in the blanks with the Simple Past of the verbs in brackets
Marta _____________ (travel) to England last year. When she
______________ (arrive) at Heathrow airport she _____________
(telephone) home.
Emma and her parents _____________ (welcome) her and that
night they _____________ (stay) in a hotel. The next day she
____________ (visit) London and Marta ________________ (love) it!
Marta ____________ (have) a very special holidays that year,
she will never forget all the places she ___________ (meet)
I went dancing last night and I had
a great time!
NEGATIVE FORM
SUBJECT + AUXILIARY (DID) + NOT +VERB (INFINITIVE) +
COMPLEMENT
Examples: I did not (didn´t) watch a movie
last night
We did not (didn´t) play tennis last
Friday
Remember!
When we use the auxiliary, the verb does not change. It keeps its
infinitive form.
Examples:
She did not (didn´t ) call me yesterday. CORRECT
She did not (didn´t ) called me yesterday. WRONG
ALL THE PRONOUNS USE THE SAME AUXILIARY DID
Yesterday I I only ate
was sick…. fruits and
salads
I didn´t like the So I baked a
healthy food! cake… I feel so
much better
now!
EXERCISES
I- Write the sentences in the negative:
1. You visited the Tower of London.
___________________________________________________________________________
2. They listened to the guide.
___________________________________________________________________________
3. The tourists liked the Crown Jewels.
___________________________________________________________________________
II – Put the words in order to write sentences.
1. visit / didn’t / they / the London Eye.
___________________________________________________________________________
2. for the test / he / studied.
___________________________________________________________________________
3. the Crown Jewels. / admired / we
___________________________________________________________________________
4. enjoyed/ he / his visit / to the city
___________________________________________________________________________
5. my hair/ brushed/ I / last night
_____________________________________________________________
INTERROGATIVE FORM
DID + SUBJECT + VERB (INFINITVE) + COMPLEMENT
Examples: DID I watch a movie last night?
DID we play tennis last Friday?
Remember that when we have the auxiliary the verb goes in its infinitive form
Example:
Did you watched the movie last night? WRONG
Did you watch the movie last night? RIGHT
THE VERB TO BE IN THE SIMPLE PAST
The verb to be changes to WAS – WERE
I YOU
HE WE
SHE WAS THEY WERE
IT
Example:
I was at the cinema last night.
We were in Brazil that summer.
Look!! Can you identify the mistakes in the following sentences?
1. Last night, Samantha have pizza for supper.
2. My pet lizard was died last month.
3. Yesterday I spend two hours cleaning my living room.
4. This morning before coming to class, Jack eats two bowls of cereal.
5. What was happened to your leg?
EXERCISES
I. Put the sentences into simple past
1. The dog plays in the garden. _________________________________________________
2. You read a book ______________________________________________________________
3. Do you see the bird? __________________________________________________________
4. We watch a movie ___________________________________________________________
5. He speaks English ___________________________________________________________
I. Was or Were?
1. The cat ________ in the kitchen.
2. He ________ very clever.
3. She ________ in the park.
4. George Washington ________ the first US president.
5. The cars ________ new.
6. I ________ tired.
7. You ________ in China last year.
8. She ________ not here.
9. They ________ very famous actors.
10. Mom and Dad ________ at home.
I didn´t play soccer
yesterday, I played
tennis
