Using the past simple (also called the simple past tense) 6. That woman _____________ (not/be) Spanish.

When do we need to use the past simple tense in English? 7. Julie _________________ (not/be) late for the class.
Remember, this is the basic past tense. We use it whenever we want
8. The food __________________ (not/be) very good.
to talk about the past and we don't have any special situation that
means we should use the past perfect, present perfect, past 9. They _________________ (not/be) my uncle and aunt.
continuous etc.
10. I _________________ (not/be) rude to the waitress.
Here's when we use it:
Past Simple 'Be' Questions
1 Finished events in the past with no connection to the present:
Leonardo painted the Mona Lisa. 1. (you / be / tired yesterday)?
The Vikings invaded Britain.
_______________________________________________________
2 With a finished time word (yesterday, last week, at 2 o'clock, in
2003): 2. (the weather / be / good)?

I went to the cinema yesterday. _______________________________________________________

We visited Japan in 2007.
3. (we / be / too noisy)?
3 For stories / lists of events:
He went to a café, sat down and lit a cigarette. _______________________________________________________

Yesterday I went to the library, met a friend for lunch, and played 4. (he / be / a doctor when he was young)?
tennis.
_______________________________________________________
4 Details of news:
I've hurt my leg. I fell off a ladder when I was painting my bedroom. 5. (they / be / in the class last week)?
I've been on holiday. I went to Spain and Portugal.
_______________________________________________________
To Be
The verb "be" is also irregular in the Simple Past. Unlike other
irregular verbs, there are two Simple Past forms: "was" and "were." Make the past simple - positive, negative or question
It also has different question forms and negative forms. Always
1. I _________________ (work) in a bank for ten years.
remember that you DO NOT use "did" with the verb "be" in the
2. Where ____________________ (you/live) when you were young?
Simple Past.
3. She ________________________(not/study) French at university.
Positive Negative Question
4. He _________________ (travel) through the middle east last year.
I was. I was not. Was I?
You were. You were not. Were you? 5. ____________________________ (they/visit) the Louvre in Paris?
We were. We were not. Were we?
They were. They were not. Were they? 6. She _____________________________ (not/watch) TV yesterday.
He was. He was not. Was he?
She was. She was not. Was she? 7. We __________________________ (buy) a new car last weekend.
It was. It was not. Was it?
8. Where _______________________ (you/teach) before you came
Past Simple 'Be' Positive and Negative
here?
Make the past simple with 'be'
9. He ___________________________ (not/think) that he was right.
1. It _____________ (be) cold yesterday.
10. I _________________________________ (cook) steak last night.
2. She ____________ (be) hungry.
11. _____________________________ (Lucy/read) 'War and Peace'
3. We ____________ (be) late for the meeting.
at school?
4. I _____________ (be) tired last night.
12. She _______________________ (not/write) to her grandmother.
5. The exam _____________ (be) difficult.
13. We __________________ (have) a computer when I was a child.
14. Where _____________________________ (you/go) on holiday? 10. Why __________________________________ (she/get) angry?

15. I ______________________ (love) ice cream when I was a child.

16. They _____________________________ (not/meet) yesterday. Put the sentences into simple past.

17. __________________________ (she/swim) in the sea in Greece? 1. We move to a new house. → _____________________________

18. We ________________________ (not/play) tennis yesterday 2. They bring a sandwich. → _______________________________

because it was raining.
3. He doesn't do the homework. → __________________________
19. He _____________________ (try) to lift the box but he couldn't.
4. They sell cars. → ______________________________________
20. What _______________________________ (you/eat) for lunch?
5. Does he visit his friends? → _____________________________
Past Simple - 'Yes / No' Questions

Make past simple questions

Write sentences in simple past.
1. ____________________________ (I/see) you last week?
1. Janet / miss / the bus → _________________________________
2. _________________________ (you/meet) your father yesterday?
2. she / tidy / her room → _________________________________
3. _________________________________ (we/go) to Spain in July?
3. Nancy / watch / not / television→ _________________________
4. ____________________________________ (it/snow) last winter?
4. she / read / a book → ___________________________________
5. _________________________________ (they/stay in) last night?

6. ___________________________ (Julie/watch) a film on Saturday?

7. ___________________________________ (Lucy/pass) the exam?

8. ______________________________ (you/have) fun at the party?

9. _______________________________________ (I/lock) the door?

10. _______________________________ (Sally and Victoria/go) to a

cafe at lunchtime?

Past Simple – “Wh” questions.

Make past simple questions

1. Where _______________________________ (you/go) to school?

2. When _____________________________________ (she/arrive)?

3. Why __________________________________ (he/eat) so much?

4. What _______________________________ (they/do) yesterday?

5. Who _____________________________ (you/meet) at the party?

6. How ______________________________ (she/come) to work this

morning?

7. Where ______________________________ (I/leave) my glasses?

8. When ___________________________ (he/get) home last night?