Past Simple Tense

Form:
Past simple (regular verbs)

AFFIRMATIVE

I/He/She/it/We/You/They played.

Negative
Long Form

I/You did not play.

He/She/it did not play.

Short Form
I/You didn't play.

He/She/it didn't play.

We/You/They did not play.

INTERROGATIVE

Did I/you/he/she/it/we/you/they play?

SHORT ANSWERS

Yes, I/you/he/she/it/we/you/they did.

NEGATIVE

No, I/you/he/she/it/we/you/they didn't.

Form
The past simple affirmative of regular verbs is

formed by adding -ed to the verb.

I watch - I watched, I listen - I listened

The interrogative is formed with the auxiliary did +

subject + base form of the verb (infinitive without

to). Did he travel around the world last summer?

The negative is formed with did not/didn't + base

form of the verb. He didn't travel around the worldlast
summer.

Spelling
Verbs ending in -e take only -d.

I like - I liked, I hate - I hated

• Verbs ending in a consonant + -y drop the -y and

put -ied. Ex: I try - I tried

Verbs ending in a vowel + -y keep the -y and take

-ed. I stay - I stayed

Verbs ending in one stressed vowel between two

consonants double the last consonant and take -ed.

I stop - I stopped

Verbs ending in -/ double the -I and take -ed.

I travel - I travelled

Past simple (irregular verbs)

AFFIRMATIVE
I/You/He/She/lt/We/You/They left.
 NEGATIVE
Long Form

I/You did not leave.

He/She/It did not leave.

Short Form

I/You didn't leave.

He/She/It didn't leave.

We/You/They didn't leave.

INTERROGATIVE

We/You/They did not leave.

Did I/you/he/she/it/we/

you/they leave?
SHORT ANSWERS
Yes, I/you/he/she/it/we/

you/they did.

No, I/you/he/she/it/we/

you/ they didn't.

Usage
We use the Past Simple:

1- For actions that started and were completed at a specific

time in the past.

Ex: I bought a new car three weeks ago.

2- For habitual or repeated past actions.

Ex: We usually walked to school when we were younger.

3- For completed past actions that took place one after the
other.

Ex: Last night, Mary surfed the Net, had dinner and went to
bed.

• For permanent states in the past.

Ex: I lived in Paris when I was young

Time Expressions
yesterday, in 1980, etc.
two hours ago, five years ago, etc.
last night/week/Sunday/March, etc.
then, the day before

*Write the verbs in the past simple.

1- stay ---------- 2- stop ----------

3- lose ---------- 4- travel ----------

5- drive ---------- 6- see ----------

7- do ---------- 8- take ----------

9-feel ---------- 10-need -----------

11- buy ---------- 12- go -----------

2- Put the verbs in brackets into the past simple .

Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus 1) -------------- (live) in Italy. In

1492, he 2) ---------------- (leave) Europe and 3) .-------------

(travel) across the Atlantic Ocean by boat. After five weeks,
he 4) ------------- (reach) land and he 5) ------------- (bring)
back gold, cotton, birds and plants to Europe.

Columbus6) ----------- (make) three more voyages to this land

but he 7) -------------- (not/realize) that it 8)------------ (be)
America!

Fill in the correct form.

Yesterday it ________ (to be) my friend´s birthday. He
________ (to invite) a lot of friends

from school. It ________ (to be) very hot so we ________

(to decide) to go to the swimming

pool. The swimming pool ________ (not to be) full so we

________ (to swim) a lot.
Suddenly Joe ________ (to fall) and ________ (to hurt)
himself. We ________ (to call) an

ambulance. He ________ (not to stay) in hospital but he

________ (to have) a broken arm.

complete the sentences.

1- My mother (cook) a wonderful meal last night

2- I (not/be) scared of the lightning but my brother

was terrified

3- What (you/do) when the storm .. (start)?

4- Karen... (sit) in front of the TV when the power(go)...off.

5 -I (watch) a documentary about severe weather at 9 pm

last night.
 Used to

AFFIRMATIVE I/You/He/She/It/We/You/They
used to travel.

NEGATIVE I/You/He/She/It/We/You/They
didn't use to travel.
INTERROGATIVE Did I/you/he/she/it/we/you/
they use to travel?
SHORT ANSWERS Yes, I/you/he/she/it/we/you/
they did.
No, I/you/he/she/it/we/you/
they didn't.

Usage

Used to is used to talk about:

-past habits or frequently repeated actions in the

past that no longer happen.

Ex: He used to go skiing every weekend. (He doesn't any

more.)

-situations that were true but are not true any more.

She used to rent a flat. (She doesn't rent one now.)

be/get used to + -ing form

1- be used to + -ing form= be accustomed to doing
something.
-I'm used to sleeping on the sofa.
-We aren't used to waking up early at weekends.
-Are you used to going to bed so late?

2- get used to + -ing form = become accustomed to

something.
-I can't get used to using this computer program.
-They haven't got used to living in the countryside.
-How long did it take you to get used to working long
hours?

Choose the correct answer.

 1. Eddie and Mike ----------be good friends, but they
don't talk to each other anymore.

(use to - used to - were used to)

2. A: Why------- hang up on me last night?

B: Because I couldn't hear you. The signal was very

weak.

(you -did you -did you use to)

3. A: How can you study while listening to such loud

music?

( used to -be used to-'m used to)

4. I almost crashed my new car again today. I can't get used

it!.

B: Don't worry. It takes time.

( driving - to driving -to drive )

5. Did you remember to call Grandma yesterday ?

- No, I---------time to speak to anyone yesterday.

A: But it was her birthdayl

( didn't have - wasn't have- didn't use to have)

6. A few years ago, Larry------work for a computer company.

Now he works in a bank.

( used to - didn't- was Used to )

7. I ----------- my grandparents twice a week when I was

young.

( visit- use to visit- visited )

8. Nowadays, teenagers ------- used to sending text messages

to their friends instead of calling them.

( get - usually – are )

 Past Progressive Tense
Affirmative Questions Negative

I was talking Were you talking? It was not

We were talking Was she talking? (wasn't) talking
They were not
(weren't) talking

We use the Past Progressive

1-For actions that were in progress at a specific point of time
in the past.

Ex: Kyle was doing his homework at six o'clock yesterday

evening.

2- For actions that were happening at the same time in the

past. In this case, we usually use while

Ex: While Nicky was looking for her rollerblades, John was
fixing his bicycle .
3- For an action that was in progress in the past when it was
interrupted by another action. We use the Past Simple for the
shorter action. In this case, we usually use while, when or as.

Ex: My mother was reading the newspaper when I got home .

4- To describe background scenes to a story.

Ex: It was a beautiful Sunday morning and we were relaxing in

the garden.

5- For repeated actions or annoying habits. In this case we

use adverbs of frequency (always etc.)

Ex: My brother was always taking my toys when we were

young.

NOTE : Stative verbs are usually not used in the Past

Progressive .

* Put the verbs in brackets into the past continuous.

1- It-------------- (rain) at 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon.

2- The wind-------------- (blow)and snow------------(fall) when

we got home.
3 The children------------------ (wear) their new coats when I
saw them in the park.

4 While Mark----------------- (watch)the weather forecast,

Sheila ---------------------(cook) dinner.

5- It ----------------- (drizzle)when we left school at 3:30.

6 While we--------------- (sail ), we heard a rumble of thunder.

Time clauses ( when , while , as , as soon as )

-We use the words when , while , as , as soon as to link main

clauses with time clauses .

Ex: 1-Julie was watering the flowers when she heard a loud
noise coming from next door .

2-While we were having dinner , Tom and Barbara arrived .

3-I had an accident as I was driving to work yesterday .

NOTE : Time clauses can go before the main clause

( separated by a comma ) or after the main clause ( no comma

is required ) .
We use when / as soon as + Past Simple ( time clause ) + Past
Simple ( main clause ) for two actions that took place one
after the other in the past .

Ex: As soon as they left , I went to bed .

Circle the correct form.

1-What (were you doing / did you do) when the storm started?

2-It (didn't rain / wasn't raining) when I left the house.

3 John (was watching / watched )the weather

forecast while Sam cooked / was cooking dinner.

4- Amy (was having / had lunch) and then went shopping.

5 –(Were you hearing / Did you hear) the thunder last night?

Put the verbs in brackets into the past

simple or the past continuous.

1- --------------- (sleep) when a loud rumble of thunder

------------------ (wake) me up.

2- As Ann------------ (walk) home from school, she--------------

( slip) on a patch of ice.

3 Mark and John----------------- (play) basketball when

it-------

(start) to rain.

4- Emma------------- (look) at dresses while Maggie-----------

(try on) a pair of boots.

5 -When Diane----------- (put on) her shoes, the strap---------

(break).
Present perfect vs Past simple

PRESENT PERFECT is an action which happened at an

unstated time in the past

They have bought a yacht . (We don't know when) an action

which started in the past and is still continuing in the present
Mary has worked as a tour guide for ten years. (She still
works as a tour guide.)

PAST SIMPLE

 An action which happened at a stated time in the past.

They bought it last week. (When? Last week, Time
mentioned.)
  An action which started and finished in the past He lived
in Thailand for three years . (He doesn't live in Thailand
anymore.)

Present Perfect Continuous

Form : have / has + been + verb - ing

Use

We use the present perfect continuous : to place emphasis on

the duration of an acti which started in the past and continues
up the present . They have been sailing for two hour for
actions which started and finished in the past and lasted for
some time with a visi