Simple Past

The Simple Past is a form of the verb that shows the action or state happened in the past.

For example: Lisa danced yesterday.

Click here for the full info, rules, examples and exercises on the simple past and how to use it.

Simple Past Story 1

Who were they? Where did they go? What happened?

One autumn evening, Charles and Beth went to the theater. They attended a play. The play started at
7:00. Charles and Beth enjoyed the theater.

After the play, Charles and Beth walked together in the park. They walked beside the lake. The moon
was bright. They talked about their future.

When Charles and Beth went home, their children were not asleep. They waited for Charles and Beth
to return. They were excited to hear about the theater!

Charles told the children about the play. Then, Beth put the children to bed. Charles and Beth were
very tired. It was a good night!

Simple Past Story 2

Who is she? Where did she do? What happened?

Last week, Beth baked a cake for Lilly's birthday party. Lilly wanted a strawberry cake with pink
frosting. Beth was happy to bake the cake.

First, Beth mixed the ingredients in a big bowl. Next, she poured the cake batter into four round baking
pans. She put the pans in the oven. Finally, she baked the cakes for 20 minutes.
Then, Beth prepared the pink frosting. After the cakes cooled, Beth stacked them and covered them
with frosting. Beth wrote Lilly's name on top with white frosting. She put seven candles in the cake.

On Sunday, Beth surprised Lilly with the strawberry cake. Lilly loved her cake! Lilly had many gifts
for her birthday. But Lilly said her cake was the best gift of them all!

Click here to download the full worksheet: Simple Past Story 2.

Simple Past Story 3

Who were they? What did they do? What happened?

Last night, George was at a restaurant with Clara, Charlie, and Katherine. After dinner, George
announced his engagement to Clara. George stood next to Clara. He raised his glass. He announced the
engagement to his friends. He looked very happy!

Clara was also at the restaurant. She sat at the table next to George. She smiled when he announced the
engagement. She showed her friends her ring. It was very beautiful. Clara also looked very happy!

Charlie and Katherine also sat at the table. They were excited for their friends. Charlie congratulated
George and Clara. He shook George's hand. Katherine looked at Clara's ring. She hugged Clara. She
was happy for George and Clara!

Click here to download the full worksheet: Simple Past Story 3.

Simple Past Story 4

Who were they? What did they do? What happened?

On Saturday, the Jenson family shopped for a Christmas tree. They got in the car. They drove to the
tree farm. Mr. and Mrs. Jenson walked around the tree farm with their kids.

The Jenson family looked at all the trees. They looked at tall trees and short trees. They looked at fat
trees and skinny trees. They looked at every tree on the farm. They wanted the perfect tree.

The Jenson kids finally found the perfect tree. It wasn't too tall or too short. It wasn't too fat or too
skinny. The tree was exactly what they wanted. It was the perfect Christmas tree!

Click here to download the full worksheet: Simple Past Story 4.

A. Choose the correct form to complete these sentences. Use the verbs in
brackets. Use Simple past or past continuous tense
1. I ____________ TV when the phone ____________. [watch / ring]
2. What ____ you _______ when you ____________ your leg? [do / hurt]
3. We ____________ football when it ____________ to rain. [play / start]
4. I ____________ a bath when you ____________. [have / call]
5. She ____________ too many books when she ____________ over. [carry / fall]
6. I ____________ in the library when David ____________ in. [work / walk]
7. He ____________ his email when the computer ____________. [write / crash]
8. ____ you _______ when I ____________ you last night? [sleep / phone]
9. I ____________ for my shoes in the cupboard when I ____________ the money. [look / find]
10. Mark ____________ when he ____________ a noise in the night. [sleep / hear]

B. Put the verbs in brackets into the Simple Past or Past Continuous.

1. They (buy) ice-creams while they (wait) to play.

2. They (play) when it (start) to rain.
3. They (stop) when the rain (start).
4. When the rain (stop) they (go on) with their game.
5. The State Bank

Change the verbs in brackets into correct forms. Use Simple past tense

This morning at 8:33, someone (rob) the State Bank downtown. The thief
(enter) the bank and (state) that he (want) all their money. The thief (smile)
but (look) very tired. The tellers (seem) worried. The thief (receive) the
money he (reques), (ask) to be excused, then (storm) out quickly as the door
revolved. He (dash) down the street and (screech) away in a damaged car
that (rattle), (squeak) and (smoke). It (appear) that he really (need) the
money. The police soon (arrive). They (barrel) and (chase) down the street.
They (search) and (question) bystanders, but the thief (vanish). The police
(fail) to catch him. Investigators (abandon) the case and (neglect) to do
anything else. The money was never (recover) and the thief was never
(identify) the report of the incident (end).
 Answer

This morning at 8:33, someone robbed the State Bank downtown. The thief entered the
bank and stated that he wanted all their money. The thief smiled but looked very tired.
The tellers seemed worried. The thief received the money he requested, asked to be
excused, then stormed out quickly as the door revolved. He dashed down the street and
screeched away in a damaged car that rattled, squeaked and smoked. It appeared that he
really needed the money. The police soon arrived. They barreled and chased down the
street. They searched and questioned bystanders, but the thief vanished. The police failed
to catch him. Investigators abandoned the case and neglected to do anything else. The
money was never recovered and the thief was never identified the report of the incident
ended.

C. Simple Past / Past Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses, then click
the "Check" button to check your answers.

1. A: What (you, do) when the accident occurred?

B: I (try) to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

2. After I (find) the wallet full of money, I (go, immediately) to the

police and (turn) it in.
3. The doctor (say) that Tom (be) too sick to go to work and that he
(need) to stay at home for a couple of days.
4. Sebastian (arrive) at Susan's house a little before 9:00 PM, but she (be, not)
there. She (study, at the library) for her final examination in
French.
5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she (watch, also)
television. That's all she ever does!
6. A: I (call) you last night after dinner, but you (be, not) there. Where
were you?
B: I (work) out at the fitness center.
7. When I (walk) into the busy office, the secretary (talk) on the phone
with a customer, several clerks (work, busily) at their desks, and two managers
(discuss, quietly) methods to improve customer service.
8. I (watch) a mystery movie on TV when the electricity went out. Now I am never
going to find out how the movie ends.
9. Sharon (be) in the room when John told me what happened, but she didn't hear
anything because she (listen, not) .
10. It's strange that you (call) because I (think, just) about you.

11. The Titanic (cross) the Atlantic when it (strike) an iceberg.

12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain, busily) and
(try) to sell their goods to naive tourists who (hunt) for souvenirs. Some
young boys (lead) their donkeys through the narrow streets on their way home. A
couple of men (argue) over the price of a leather belt. I (walk) over to a
man who (sell) fruit and (buy) a banana.
13. The firemen (rescue) the old woman who (be) trapped on the third
floor of the burning building.
14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always) her dirty dishes in the sink. I think
she (expect, actually) me to do them for her.
15. Samantha (live) in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she (live)
there when the Berlin Wall came down.

Check Hint
D. Change the verbs in the brackets into correct forms to complete the story correctly.

Use Simple past, Past Continuous , or past perfect tense

The Unlucky Burglar

One evening Paul (watch) ____________ the television while ____________ (eat)____________
his supper.Sudenly, the door (open) ____________ and a burglar (come) ____________ in. He
(wear) ____________ a mask and (carry) ____________ a sack.

The burglar (tie)__________ Paul to the chair. Then he (go)____________ upstairs to look for
money. But he (not find) ____________ any money He (find) ____________ a lot of jewelry and
(put) ____________them into his sack. In his rush to get downstairs he (not see) ____________
the dog (lie) ____________ at the bottom of the stairs, and he (fall) ____________ over it, losing
his glasses. When the burglar (look for) ____________ them, Paul (try) ____________ to free
himself. And Paul (manage) ____________ to escape and he (phone) ____________ the police.
After the burglar (find) ____________ his glasses, he (run) ____________ out of the house. But
unfortunately for him, the police (wait) ____________ for him at the end of the garden.

E. Change the verbs in the brackets into correct forms to complete the story correctly.

Use Simple past, Past Continuous , or past perfect tense

Charles Dickens

Charles Dickens ____________ (born) in 1812 in Portsmouth. The family ____________ (move)
to London in 1823. When he (be)_________as twelve, he ____________ (work) in a blacking
factory. He worked by a window facing the street and passersby ____________ (pause) and watch
him at work. Every day he ____________ (trudge) through the London streets from Camden
Town to Southwark. His family ____________ (be) very poor. His mother ____________ (hope)
to open a small school. While she ____________ (try) to do this, her husband ____________
(send) to prison for being £40 in debt. When Charles ____________ (be) twenty-four, his first
work, sketches by Boz, ____________ (publish). This ____________ (follow) by Pickwick Papers
with which he ____________ (achieve) financial security and popularity. For the rest of his life,
work simply ____________ (pour) from his pen. He ____________ (die) of a stroke in 1870.

F. exercises

The most embarrassing moment of my life …

When I ( be ) about nine years old I used to go to the cinema every Saturday
morning. After the film (finish), I would go to a toy shop and look at model plains
and trains and sometimes I (buy) them with the pocket money that I (save)
carefully . One day after the film, I (go) to a big department store to have a look
at the model planes they (have) . I (noy buy ) anything, but as I (leave) a very
large man grabbed my arm quite violently and accused me of shoplifting. The man
(say) that he (be) a store detective. As I ( concéntrate) , I (not notice) that he
(watch) me. He (ask) me to empty my pockets and he (go) through my coat,
searching for stolen goods, even though I (tell) him very clearly that I ( not take )
anything in the store . I ( just ( look ) for something . Of course, he (not find )
anything but by this time several people ( stop) to see what (be happen ) . I (feel)
very embarrassed and humiliated that so many people (look ) at me and I (be)
very glad to leave the shop when it (be) all over.

G. Complete the second part of the story with the correct form of the verbs in brackets:
a. past simple ( S+p1(v2) ,
b. past continuous (S+was/were+Verb 1 + ing ) ,
c. past perfect ( S + Had + P2 (verb 3) ,
d. past perfect continuous ( S + Had been + verb 1 + ing ).

An hour ago , when my family (1) ________ (have) lunch at home, my father (2)
________ (ask) me about the film. I then (3) _______ (mention) that I (4) ________
(look) at toys in a department store when a store detective (5) ________ (accuse) me
of shoplifting and (6) ________ (search) me in the middle of the shop. My father (7)
________ (make) me repeat what I (8) _______ (say), and then immediately (9)
_______ (jump up) from the table. Without either of us having finished our lunch,
he (10) _______ (make) me get into the car. I (11) ________ (never see) my father so
angry! He (12) _______ (drive) quickly to the store, (13) _______ (park) outside and
marched me to where the incident (14) _______ (take place). He then demanded to
see the manager and the store detective. When the manager (15) _______ (come) ,
my father (16) ________ (start) shouting at him and he told him that I (17) ______
(never steal) anything in my life. He (18) _______ (make) the manager and store
detective apologize to me for having accused me of shoplifting, and for
embarrassing me. Bu the thing is, I (19) _______(find) this scene even more
embarrassing than the first one, especially as I could see that a lot of customers (20)
________ (stop) and (21) _______ (watch) us.

The most embarrassing moment of my life …

When I was about nine years old I used to go to the cinema every Saturday morning. After the
film had finished, I would go to a toy shop and look at model plains and trains and sometimes I
bought them with the pocket money that I had been carefully saying. One day after the film I
went to a big department store to have a look at the model planes they had. I didn’t buy
anything, but as I was leaving a very large man grabbed ny arm quite violently and accused me of
shoplifting. The man said that he was a store detective. As I had been concentrating, I hadn’t
noticed that he had been watching me. He made me empty my pockets and he went through my
coat, searching for stolen goods, even though I told him very clearly that I had only been looking.
Of course, he didn’t find anything but by this time several people had stopped to see what was
happening. I felt very embarrassed and humiliated that so many people were looking at me and I
was very glad to leave the shop when it was all over.

b Complete the second part of the story with the correct form of the verbs in brackets:

e. past simple ( S+p1(v2) ,

f. past continuous (S+was/were+Verb 1 + ing ) ,
g. past perfect ( S + Had + P2 (verb 3) ,
h. past perfect continuous ( S + Had been + verb 1 + ing ).

An hour or so later, when my family (1) ____were having____ (have) lunch at home, my father (2)
____asked____ (ask) me about the film. I then (3) ____mentioned____ (mention) that I (4)
____had been looking____ (look) at toys in a department store when a store detective (5)
____accused____ (accuse) me of shoplifting and (6) ____searched____ (search) me in the middle
of the shop. My father (7) ____made____ (make) me repeat what I (8) ____had said____ (say),
and then immediately (9) ____jumped up____ (jump up) from the table. Without either of us
having finished our lunch, he (10) ____made____ (make) me get into the car. I (11) ____‘d never
seen____ (never see) my father so angry! He (12) ____drove____ (drive) quickly to the store, (13)
____parked____ (park) outside and marched me to where the incident (14) ____had taken
place____ (take place). He then demanded to see the manager and the store detective. When the
manager (15) ____came____ (come) , my father (16) ____started____ (start) shouting at him and
he told him that I (17) ____had never stolen____ (never steal) anything in my life. He (18)
____made____ (make) the manager and store detective apologize to me for having accused me of
shoplifting, and for embarrassing me. Bu the thing is, I (19) ____found____ this scene even more
embarrassing than the first one, especially as I could see that a lot of customers (20) ____had
stopped_____ (stop) and (21) ____were watching____ (watch) us.

H. James Bond

Fill the gaps with the correct tense of the verb in brackets. Do not use contractions (e.g. he'd, I'm
etc.)

James Bond (need) a drink. The fight in the carpark with the dwarf (make) him thirsty. He
walked quickly along 46th Street in search of an air-conditioned bar where he could get out of
the heat and think.

He (walk) for only a few minutes, when it suddenly (occur) to him that he. (follow) There was no
evidence for it except for a slight itchy feeling on the top of his head. But he had faith in his sixth
sense. It (never / fail) him. He (stop) in front of the shop window he (pass) and (look) casually
back along the street. He (examine) the Swiss watches in the window and then (turn) and walked
on.

After a few yards he turned into a shop doorway where a man (look) at Japanese cameras. As he
did so, something grabbed his right arm and a voice snarled, 'All right, Limey*. Take it easy
unless you want lead for lunch.', He (feel) something press into his back just above his kidneys.
Bond (try) to swing his arm to hit whoever it was that (hold) him, but a strong hand (catch) his
fist**. An amused voice, (say) "No good, James. The angels have got you."

He turned his head to find himself looking into the grinning hawk-like*** face of Felix Leiter. A
face he (last / see) covered in bandages in a hospital bed in Cairo nine months earlier. The face of
the American secret agent with whom he (share) so many adventures.

(With apologies to Ian Fleming)

I. Simple Past / Present Perfect

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses, then click
the "Check" button to check your answers.
1. A: Did you like the movie "Star Wars?"
B: I don't know. I (see, never) that movie.

2. Sam (arrive) in San Diego a week ago.

3. My best friend and I (know) each other for over fifteen years. We still get together
once a week.

4. Stinson is a fantastic writer. He (write) ten very creative short stories in the last
year. One day, he'll be as famous as Hemingway.

5. I (have, not) this much fun since I (be) a kid.

6. Things (change) a great deal at Coltech, Inc. When we first (start)

working here three years ago, the company (have, only) six employees. Since then,
we (expand) to include more than 2000 full-time workers.

7. I (tell) him to stay on the path while he was hiking, but he (wander)
off into the forest and (be) bitten by a snake.

8. Listen Donna, I don't care if you (miss) the bus this morning. You (be)
late to work too many times. You are fired!

9. Sam is from Colorado, which is hundreds of miles from the coast, so he (see, never)
the ocean. He should come with us to Miami.

10. How sad! George (dream) of going to California before he died, but he didn't
make it. He (see, never) the ocean.

11. In the last hundred years, traveling (become) much easier and very comfortable.
In the 19th century, it (take) two or three months to cross North America by covered
wagon. The trip (be) very rough and often dangerous. Things (change) a
great deal in the last hundred and fifty years. Now you can fly from New York to Los Angeles in
a matter of hours.

12. Jonny, I can't believe how much you (change) since the last time I (see)
you. You (grow) at least a foot!

13. This tree (be) planted by the settlers who (found) our city over four
hundred years ago.

14. This mountain (be, never) climbed by anyone. Several mountaineers (try)
to reach the top, but nobody (succeed, ever) . The climb is extremely
difficult and many people (die) trying to reach the summit.

15. I (visit, never) Africa, but I (travel) to South America several

times. The last time I (go) to South America, I (visit) Brazil and Peru. I
(spend) two weeks in the Amazon, (hike) for a week near Machu Picchu,
and (fly) over the Nazca Lines.

Check Hint
J. Simple Past / Present Perfect

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses, then click
the "Check" button to check your answers.
Since computers were first introduced to the public in the early 1980's, technology (change)
a great deal. The first computers (be) simple machines designed for
basic tasks. They (have, not) much memory and they (be, not) very
powerful. Early computers were often quite expensive and customers often (pay)
thousands of dollars for machines which actually (do) very little. Most computers
(be) separate, individual machines used mostly as expensive typewriters or for
playing games.

Times (change) . Computers (become) powerful machines with very

practical applications. Programmers (create) a large selection of useful programs
which do everything from teaching foreign languages to bookkeeping. We are still playing video
games, but today's games (become) faster, more exciting interactive adventures.
Many computer users (get, also) on the Internet and (begin)
communicating with other computer users around the world. We (start) to create
international communities online. In short, the simple, individual machines of the past (evolve)
into an international World Wide Web of knowledge.

Check Hint

K. Simple Past or Past Perfect English Grammar

Conjugate the verb in parentheses in the past perfect tense. In the case of questions, use
the indicated subject as well.

1. They ____ (eat) before he arrived.

2. ____ (you finish) the report before he asked for it?
3. Jennifer _____ (buy) the house before the market crashed.
4. What _____ (she do) that upset him so much?
5. Our boss _____ (not make) the decision yet when management changed their mind.
6. The students _____ (write) the report, but the teacher made them do it again.
7. Mark _____ (want) to go to New York, but his wife changed his mind.
8. _____ (they invest) in that stock before the market improved?
9. Alex _____ (not do) the gardening before it started raining.
10. Their decision _____ (make - passive voice) before conditions changed.
11. We _____ (eat already) so we weren't hungry.
12. _____ (Tom choose) the color for his room before he was asked to paint it black?
13. Sarah _____ (drive) three hundred miles by the time she arrived in Tacoma.
14. Few people _____ (understand) the news when the consequences began to appear.
15. The reporter _____ (not tell) the cameraman to get ready when the president walked into
the room.
16. Bob _____ (purchase) the first generation iPad two weeks before the second generation
was introduced.
17. I _____ (print) the report before he gave me the updates.
18. _____ (Henry come) home before the called the police?
19. She _____ (not complete) the article when the news changed everything.
20. The coach _____ (reserve) rooms for everybody so there weren't any problems.

L. Present Continuous / Simple Past

Present Perfect Continuous / Past Perfect Continuous

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses, then click
the "Check" button to check your answers.
My English is really getting better. I (try) to learn the language since 1985, but only
recently have I been able to make some real progress. By the time I started high school in 1988, I
(study) the language for almost three years; however, I was only able to introduce
myself and utter a few memorized sentences. For a couple more years, I (struggle)
through grammar and vocabulary lessons, which made absolutely no difference. Nothing
worked, so I decided to study abroad.

I found an exchange program in England that sounded like the perfect answer. I (stay)
with a host family for one month. It was a huge disappointment! I (sit)
there the whole time staring at the host mother and father hoping that there would be some
breakthrough. Nothing.

When I returned, I mentioned to a friend that I (have) problems with the language
for years. He recommended that I spend a year in an English speaking country. I decided to go
abroad again. I (research) exchange programs for a couple of weeks and finally
decided on a school in the United States.

Well, it worked. I (live) and (study) in the U.S. for more than two
years. I (stay) here for at least another year before I return home. By then, I should
be completely fluent.

M. Present and Past Tense Review

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate tenses, then click
the "Check" button to check your answers.
Lars: Excuse me, which movie are you waiting for?

Tony: We (wait) for the new Stars Wars movie. In fact, we (wait) here
for more than five hours.

Lars: Five hours? When did you arrive?

Tony: We (get) here at 6:00 o'clock this morning. More than forty people (stand,
already) here waiting for tickets when we arrived.

Lars: I can't believe that! Are you serious?

Tony: Yeah, people (take) Star Wars movies seriously. In fact, this particular
showing has been sold out for over a week. We (wait, just) in line to get a good seat
in the theater.

Lars: When did you buy your tickets?

Tony: I (buy) them last week by phone. I (know) tickets would be hard
to get because I (see) a news interview with a group of people standing in line to get
tickets. They (wait) in line for almost a month to buy tickets for the first showing.

Lars: I don't believe that!

Tony: It's true. They (camp) out in front of Mann's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles
for about a month because they (want) to be the first people to see the movie.

Check Hint

N. Present and Past Tense Review

Complete the text below with the appropriate tenses!

Lars :Excuse me, which movie are you waiting for?

Tony : We (wait) for the new Stars Wars movie. In fact, we (wait) here for more than
five hours.

Lars :Five hours? When did you arrive?

Tony: We (get) here at 6:00 o'clock this morning. More than forty people (stand, already)
here waiting for tickets when we arrived.

Lars: I can't believe that! Are you serious?

Tony: Yeah, people (take) Star Wars movies seriously. In fact, this particular showing has
been sold out for over a week. We (wait, just) in line to get a good seat in the theater.
Lars: When did you buy your tickets?

Tony: I (buy) them last week by phone. I (know) tickets would be hard to get because I
(see) a news interview with a group of people standing in line to get tickets. They
(wait) in line for almost a month to buy tickets for the first showing.

Lars: I don't believe that!

Tony: It's true. They (camp) out in front of Mann's Chinese Theater in Los Angeles for
about a month because they (want) to be the first people to see the movie.