PAST TENSE SIMPLE - EXERCISES

1. Present or past? Complete the sentences with am, is, are, was or
were.
a) The homework was very difficult yesterday.
b) Hello, everybody! I am sorry I am late.
c) Where were you born? I was born in India.
d) Where was your sister born? She was born in India, too.
e) The weather is beautiful today. It was terrible yesterday.
f) The children are very tired today. They were at a party yesterday evening.
g) I could play chess when I was five.
h) We were married when I was eighteen and Roger was twenty.

2. Make questions and negatives!

a) I went to Chicago last year.

Did I go to Chicago last year? I didn’t go to Chicago last year.
b) We met Jim yesterday.
Did you meet Jim yesterday? We didn’t meet Jim yesterday.
c) He left last Tuesday.
Did he leave last Tuesday? He didn’t leave last Tuesday.
d) They bought a Volvo last week.
Did they buy a Volvo last week? They didn’t buy Volvo last week.
e) School started at 9 o’clock yesterday.
Did school start at 9 o’clock yesterday? School didn’t start at 9 o’clock yesterday.
f) I lost my passport.
Did you lose your passport? I didn’t lose my passport.
g) He wrote a letter.
Did he write a letter? He didn’t write a letter.
h) They were very sad.
Were they very sad? They were not very sad.
i) She was at the theatre yesterday evening.
Was she at the theatre yesterday evening? She wasn't at the theatre yesterday
evening.

3. Put the following sentences into questions and make them negative!

a) I saw that film last week.

Did I see that film last week?
I didn’t see that film last week.

b) Mary came to my house yesterday.

Did Mary come to my house yesterday?
Marry didn’t come to my house yesterday.

c) We had dinner at 5 pm.

Did we have dinner at 5 pm?
We didn’t have dinner at 5 pm.

d) Mr. Smith flew to Edinburgh at 6 am.

Did Mr. Smith fly to Edinburgh at 6 am?
Mr. Smith didn’t fly to Edinburgh at 6 am.

e) They drove to Chester by hired car.

Did they drive to Chester by hired car?
They didn’t drive to Chester by hired car.

f) The car broke down.

Did the car brake down?
The car didn’t brake down.

g) I knew her.
Did I know her?
I didn’t know her.

h) She went swimming yesterday afternoon.

Did she go swimming yesterday afternoon?
She didn’t go swimming yesterday afternoon.

i) He took his dog out yesterday.

Did he take his dog out yesterday?
He didn’t take his dog out yesterday.

j) He spoke French.
Did he speak French?
He didn’t speak French.