Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎

Simple Past

Name: ____Fabio Andres Cerquera Torres_______________________________________ Level: A2+

Verb “To Be” Past Tense – Affirmative and Negative
A. Put the correct form of the verb “to be” (was/were) in the past tense in the following sentences.

1. Judy WAS sick yesterday.

2. We WERE in the same class last year.
3. I WAS tired after a long day at work.
4. The weather WAS beautiful yesterday.
5. Last semester my teachers WERE very good.
6. The children WERE hungry after so much exercise.
7. The wind WAS very strong last night.
8. She WAS very happy last week.
9. They WERE nervous on the first day of school.
10. Luckily, the windows WERE closed during the rain storm.
11. We WERE very happy to get your letter last week.
12. The boys WERE tired after the ball game.

B. Put the correct negative form of the verb “to be” (wasn’t/ weren’t) in the following sentences.

1. They WERENT at school yesterday because it was Saturday.

2. He WASNT hungry at supper time because he ate a big lunch.
3. Carol WASNT happy to see her boyfriend with another girl.
4. Bonnie WASNT at home last night when I called her.
5. The teacher WASNT satisfied with the student’s work.

C. Complete the following sentences with wasn’t or weren’t.

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

1. It is cold outside today, but IT WASNT COLD YESTERDAY. .

2. She is sick today, but SHE WANST SICK YESTERDAY. .
3. They are at school today, but THEY WERENT AT SCHOOL YESTERDAY. .
4. The TV show is good today, but IT WASN’T GOOD YESTERDAY. .
5. The apples are sweet today, but IT WASN’T SWEET YESTERDAY. .
6. The class is interesting today, but IT WASN’T INTERESTING YESTERDAY. .
7. The boss is angry today, but IT WASN’T ANGRY YESTERDAY. .
8. The door is locked today, but IT WASN’T LOCKED YESTERDAY. .
9. The exercises are easy today, but IT WASN’T EASY YESTERDAY. .

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

Past Tense of the Verb “To Be” – Yes/No Questions

Practice making questions and giving short answers with the verb “to be” in the past tense.

Ex. Were you tired last night?

Yes, I was. (I was tired last night.)

1. WAS IT COLD OUTSIDE YESTERDAY?

NO, IT WASNT (It wasn’t cold outside yesterday.)

2. WHERE THEY SICK YESTERDAY LAS WEEK?

NO, THEY WERENT (They weren’t sick last week.)

3. WAS DON AT THE OFFICE LAST SATURDAY?

YES, HE WAS (Don was at the office last Saturday.)

4. WAS THE CAR EXPENSIVE?

YES, IT WAS (The car was expensive.)

5. WERE THE CHLDREN EXCITED?

NO, THEY WERENT (The children weren’t excited.)

6. WAS THE STORE OPENED?

NO, IT WASNT (The store wasn’t open.)

7. WAS THE MOVIE INTERESTING?

YES, IT WAS (The movie was interesting.)

8. WAS THE FOOD GOOD?

NO, IT WASNT (The food wasn’t good.)

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

Past Tense of the Verb “To Be” – Information Questions

Use the correct question word (who, what, where, when, why, how many) and the correct form of the verb
“to be” in the past tense to make questions. The underlined words are the answers to the questions.

Ex. Why was she absent yesterday?

She was absent because she was sick.

1. WHY WAS SHE TIRED YESTERDAY?

She was tired because she worked hard all day.

2. WHERE WAS SHE LAST NIGHT?

She was at the mall last night.

3. HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE AT THE PARTY?

There were twenty people at the party.

4. WHAT WAS IN THE BOX?

A diamond ring was in the box.

5. WHERE WAS THE SECRETARY?

The secretary was in the office.

6. WHEN WERE THE STUDENTS ABSENT?

The students were absent last Tuesday.

7. WHY WAS SHE LATE?

She was late because she missed her bus.

8. WHO WAS AT THE DOOR?

Mrs. Jones was at the door.

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

Simple Past Tense – Regular Verbs

Choose the correct verb from the list below to complete the following sentences. Put the verb in the past
tense.

play / listen / paint / water / visit / mail / help / arrive / learn / watch / change / wait

1. I VISITED my friend in the hospital last night.

2. The boys PLAYED baseball in the field behind the school.
3. Robert HELPED his wife wash the dishes.
4. We PAINTED our living room a soft blue color.
5. Susan WATCHED TV for two hours last night.
6. We CHANGED planes on the way to New York.
7. I MAILED the letter on the way to work.
8. She WAITED for him for 20 minutes at the coffee shop.
9. They LEARNED how to swim many years ago.
10. She WATERED the flowers in the garden yesterday.
11. The students ARRIVED late for class.
12. We LISTENED to the radio until midnight.

Simple Past Tense – Negative

Change the following sentences to a negative and then write another sentence of your own in the
affirmative.
Ex. Mary baked a cake. Mary didn’t bake a cake.
She baked cookies.

1. The boys played soccer. THE BOYS DIDN’T PLAY

THEY PLAYED TENIS
2. Carol called her mother. CAROL DIDN’T CALL HER MOTHER
SHE CALLED HER SISTER
3. Donald fixed his TV. DONAL DIDN’T FIX HIS TV
HE FIXED HIS CAR
4. Peter danced with Betty. PETER DIDN’T DANCE WITH BETTY
HE DANCED WITH MARTHA
5. Ann studied history. ANN DIDN’T HISTORY
ANN STUDIED MATH

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

Past Tense - Irregular Verb Practice

A. Write the correct past tense for each of the following verbs

Ex. catch – caught

1. cut CUT 11. shake SHOOK

2. dig DUG 12. shoot SHOT
3. cost COST 13. shut SHUT
4. meet MET 14. sit SAT
5. read READ 15. sing SANG
6. ride RODE 16. sleep SLEPT
7. run RAN 17. speak SPOKE
8. see SAW 18. spend SPENT
9. sell SOLD 19. stand STOOD
10. send SENT 20. swim SWAN

B. Word Scramble

Unscramble the following words. Then write the present tense of each verb beside the past irregular verb.

Scrambled word Unscrambled Verb Present Tense

Ex. etnw went go

1. meca CAME COME

2. gunbe BEGUN BEGIN
3. dema MADE MAKE
4. lbew BLEW BLOW
5. okbre BROKE BREAK
6. hocse CHOSE CHOOSE
7. idd DID DO
8. krdan DRANK DRINK
9. tae ATE EAT
10. voedr DROVE DRIVE
11. ghtaut TAUGHT TEACH
12. oltd TOLD TELL
13. woret WROTE WRITE
14. wkoe WOKE WAKE

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

Irregular Verbs – Bingo

Instructions: Choose 24 words from the list below and write the past tense of each one in any space on your
bingo card. Mix them up. Do not write them in the same order as the list. (This will ensure you all have a
different card.) Your teacher will call out certain past tense verbs. If you have one, cover it with a bean, piece of
cardboard, candy, or any other marker your teacher gives you. When you have one line any way covered, shout
Bingo. (You must have the correct past tense under each marker in order to win.)

become begin bet bite blow break

bring build catch choose come cost

cut dig do draw drink drive

eat fall feel fight find fly

forget freeze get give go grow

hang have hear hide hit hold

hurt keep know leave let lose

make mean meet pay quit ring

read ride run see sell send

shake shoot shut sink sit sleep

speak spend stand stick sweep swing

swim take teach tell think throw

understand wake wear win write

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

Verb Bingo

Free

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

Past Tense - Irregular Verbs – Negative & Affirmative

Complete the sentences below using the example given.

Ex. Bill usually eats cereal for breakfast. He

didn’t eat cereal yesterday. He ate toast.

1. Ben usually gets up at 7:00.

He DIDN’T GET UP at 7:00 yesterday. He GOT UP at 8:00.

2. Ben usually takes a shower.

He DIDN’T TAKE a shower yesterday. He TOOK a bath.

3. Ben usually reads the Times newspaper.

He DIDN’T READ the Times yesterday. He READ the Post.

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

He DIDN’T LEAVE the house at 8:00. He LEFT at 9:00.

5. Ben usually takes a bus to work.

He DIDN’T TAKE a bus yesterday. He TOOK a taxi.

6. Ben usually meets his boss in the morning.

He DIDN’T MEET his boss in the morning yesterday. He MET him in the afternoon.

7. Ben usually writes 10 letters every morning.

He DIDN’T write 10 letters yesterday. He WROTE 5 letters.

8. Ben usually eats lunch in the office.

He DIDN’T EAT lunch in the office yesterday. He ATE lunch in a restaurant.

9. Ben usually has a lot of appointments every day.

He DIDN’T HAVE a lot of appointments yesterday. He only HAD a few.

10. Ben usually goes home at 6:00.

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past
He DIDN’T GO home at 6:00 yesterday. He WENT home at 7:00.

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

Past Tense Irregular Verbs – Question Formation

Write the questions. Follow the example given below.

Ex. Did you wake up early? No I didn’t. I woke up late.

1. DID WE MEET at 7:00? No, we didn’t. We met at 8:00.

2. DID HE SWIM at the pool? No, he didn’t. He swam in the lake.

3. DID SHE BUY apples? No, she didn’t. She bought oranges.

4. DID THEY SPEAK French? No, they didn’t. They spoke Spanish.

5. DID YOU DIRVE to school? No, I didn’t. I drove to the office.

6. DID HE COME on time? No, he didn’t. He came late.

7. DID SHE FLY to Paris? No, she didn’t. She flew to Rome.

8. DID YOU LOSE your purse? No, I didn’t. I lost my wallet.

9. DID THE CATCH a big fish? No, he didn’t. He caught a small one.

10. DID SHE MAKE a cake? No, she didn’t. She made a pie.

11. DID YOU SLEEP 8 hours? No, I didn’t. I slept 9 hours.

12. DID THEY TELL their mother? No, they didn’t. They told me.

13. DID WE SIT on the sofa? No, we didn’t. We sat on chairs.

14. DID SHE WEAR a skirt? No, she didn’t. She wore a dress.

15. DID YOU SHOOT the windows? No, I didn’t. I shut the door.

16. DID SHE STAND at the front of the room? No, she didn’t. She stood at the
back of the room.

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

Past Tense – Irregular Verbs – Information Questions

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

Ex. She bought the toy at Wal-Mart.

Where did she buy the toy?

1. WHAT TIME DID THEY LEAVE THE OFFICE?

They left the office at 6:00.

2. WHY DIDN’T SHE GO TO WORK?

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

3. HOW MUCH DID YOU SPEND ON GROCERIES?

I spent $80.00 on groceries.

4. WHO DID ROSA SPEAK TO? *

Rosa spoke to the boss.

5. WHO DID SPOKE TO THE BOSS? *

Rosa spoke to the boss.

(Note the difference between #4 and #5. Can you explain the grammar rule?)

6. WHAT DID SHE SAY?

She said “hello” to me.

7. HOW DID YOU FEEL YESTERDAY?

I felt sick yesterday.

8. WHAT TIME DID THE SUN RISE YESTERDAY?

The sun rose at 6:45 A.M. yesterday.

9. WHAT DID SHE WEAR TO THE PARTY?

She wore a beautiful dress to the party.

10. WHERE THE MEETING TAKE PLACE?

The meeting took place in Room 29.

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

Review - Past Tense –Irregular Verbs

Choose the correct verb from the list below to complete the following sentences. Put the verb into the
correct past tense form.

buy / ring / lie / break / teach / fly / set / send / wake / swim / be / pay / meet /
have / write / drink / give / get / take / catch / lose

1. She BROKE a plate when she was washing the dishes.

2. They FLEW to Paris in a jumbo jet last week.

3. I SET the alarm clock for 7:00 yesterday morning, but I WOKE up a half-hour before the
alarm clock RANG .

4. I WROTE a letter to my friends back home.

5. He SENT flowers to his girlfriend for her birthday.

6. His mother TOOK care of him when he WAS sick.

7. The teacher TAUGHT the mathematics class and then GAVE the students
three exercises to do for homework.

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

9. Matthew LOST his wallet on the way to work yesterday. He GOT very upset.

10. The children SWAM in the lake behind their house.

11. We HAD a wonderful time at your party last night.

12. I BOUGHT groceries on my way home yesterday and I PAID in cash.

13. I MET three friends at the café and we DRANK several cups of coffee together.

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

Time Expressions for the Past

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

1. She came to this country three years AGO .

2. I was very tired LAST week.
3. The class was cancelled LAST Monday.
4. I spoke to him ten minutes AGO .
5. The weather was beautiful LAST summer.
6. We went dancing LAST night.
7. The boss was away YESTERDAY morning.
8. We started this class LAST fall.
9. The children watched a little TV LAST evening.
10. She got married five years AGO .
11. We skied a lot LAST winter.
12. We went shopping YESTERDAY afternoon.
13. She left five minutes AGO .
14. They left the city a month AGO .
15. They came back LAST week.

Opposites in the Past – Review of Irregular Verbs

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

Ex. sat - stood

1. remembered FORGOT 9. floated SANK
2. bought SOLD 10. saved (money) SPENT
3. found LOST 11. ended STARTED
4. brought LEFT 12. repaired DAMAGED
5. arrived WENT 13. came LEFT
6. opened CLOSED 14. received (a letter) MAILED
7. rose (the sun) LIED 15. lost (a game) WON
8. learned TAUGHT 16. fell asleep GOT UP

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

Find Someone Who……. (Past Tense Review)

Interview your classmates. Walk around the class and find someone…

1. who woke up late this morning.

NOBODY WOKE UP LATE THIS MORNING

2. didn’t take the bus to school this morning.

CARLOS AND PAULA DIDN’T TAKE THE BUS TO THE COLLEGE THIS MORNING

3. who ate an egg for breakfast this morning.

JULIAN ATE AN EGG FOR BREAKSFAST THIS MORNING

4. who saw a good movie on TV last night.

CARLOS AND SOFIA SAW A GOOD MOVIE ON TV LAST NIGHT

5. who bought something expensive yesterday.

NOBODY BOUGHT SOMETHING EXPENSIVE YESTERDAY

6. who had a bad cold last week.

FELIPE HAD A BAD COLD ÑAST WEEK

7. who won something last year.

JULIAN WON SOMETHING LAST YEAR

8. who read a great book last month.

SOFIA READ A GREAT BOOK LAST MONTH

9. who heard some interesting gossip last week.

NOBODY HEARD SOME INTERESTING GOSSIP LAST WEEK

10. who went on a vacation outside the country last year.

NOBODY WENT ON A VACATION OUTSIDE THE COUNTRY LAST YEAR

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 Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past

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