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Date __ / __ / ____ Name: ______________________________________

Past simple

Exercises

1) Write the Past simple of these regular verbs. Then listen carefully to the
pronunciation.

29-29TracciaAudio.mp3

play played
1: talk ____________________

2: arrive ____________________

3: pass ____________________

4: watch ____________________

5: visit ____________________

6: clean ____________________

7: hate ____________________

8: slip ____________________

9: end ____________________

10: hurry ____________________

11: control ____________________

12: stay ____________________

13: open ____________________

14: answer ____________________

15: develop ____________________

16: jump ____________________

Track

2) Use the following verbs to complete the sentences in the Past simple.
laugh, cook, play, organise, arrive, listen, walk, snow
The train arrived at 10.35 a.m.

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1: It ____________________ a lot last winter.

2: The children ____________________ outside yesterday.

3: We ____________________ at his funny joke!

4: Brian ____________________ to school yesterday morning.

5: I ____________________ a surprise birthday party for my sister.

6: My mum ____________________ a delicious roast lunch last Sunday.

7: Lizzie ____________________ to a new CD by her favourite pop group yesterday.

3) Write the Past simple of these irregular verbs. Then listen carefully to the
pronunciation.

30-30TracciaAudio.mp3

stand stood
1: buy ____________________

2: do ____________________

3: take ____________________

4: have ____________________

5: bring ____________________

6: come ____________________

7: go ____________________

8: get up ____________________

9: tell ____________________

10: put ____________________

11: eat ____________________

12: drink ____________________

13: write ____________________

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14: make ____________________

15: read ____________________

16: give ____________________

Track

4) Use the following verbs to complete the sentences in the Past simple.
get up, go, take, fly, teach, do, eat, write
My uncle was a teacher. He taught mathematics.
1: Lucy's boyfriend ____________________ her to a restaurant last night.

2: The children ____________________ chocolate cake and ice cream at the party on Saturday.

3: I ____________________ an email to my friend two days ago.

4: Paul ____________________ late last Sunday.

5: Abby ____________________ to the library yesterday.

6: Martin ____________________ his homework yesterday afternoon.

7: Last Tuesday, Isabelle ____________________ by plane from London to Paris.

5) Rewrite these sentences in the negative and interrogative forms.

She understood the grammar rule.
She didn't understand the grammar rule.
Did she understand the grammar rule?
1: Jessica got up early yesterday morning.
____________________ .
____________________ ?
2: My mother made cupcakes yesterday.
____________________ .
____________________ ?
3: I went to Sydney and I saw the Opera House.
____________________ .
____________________ ?
4: Oliver read an interesting book at school.
____________________ .
____________________ ?
5: Rachel and Jim gave their mum a present.
____________________ .
____________________ ?

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6) Complete the mini-dialogues. Then listen and check.

31-31TracciaAudio.mp3

1: A Did you speak to Paul?

B No, I didn't, but I ____________________ to his sister.
2: A Where did you find my wallet?
B I ____________________ it behind the bookcase.
3: A Did he take you to school by car?
B Yes, he did. He ____________________ me in his new Ferrari!
4: A How much did you pay for your new computer?
B I ____________________ £350 for it.
5: A Did you go to the theatre last night?
B Yes, I ____________________ with Olivia.
6: A What did you buy yesterday?
B I ____________________ a new pair of jeans.
Track

7) Complete the paragraph by putting the verbs in brackets in the Past simple.
Yesterday, Tina got up (get up) early. After breakfast she (1) ____________________ (listen) to the news on the radio. It (2)
____________________ (be) a sunny day so she (3) ____________________ (decide) to invite James to lunch. They (4)
____________________ (have) a barbecue in the garden and (5) ____________________ (eat) hamburgers and sausages.
They (6) ____________________ (drink) home-made lemonade. Tina and James (7) ____________________ (chat) all
afternoon. James (8) ____________________ (want) to go to the cinema but Tina (9) ____________________ (not want)
to see a horror film. They (10) ____________________ (buy) tickets online for the new James Bond film. At the cinema
there were lots of people but they (11) ____________________ (not queue)! The film was fantastic.

8) Use the prompts to write questions in the Past simple. Be careful, you may need to add
other words! Then write the answers.
who / write / Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare)
Who wrote Romeo and Juliet?
Shakespeare wrote it.
1: what time / Joe / come home / last night (at midnight)
____________________ ?
____________________ .
2: what / the burglar / steal (my laptop and money)
____________________ ?
____________________ .
3: when / you / win / that trophy (in 2002)
____________________ ?
____________________ .
4: Danny / go / to the cinema / last Saturday (to the park)
____________________ ?
____________________ .
5: where / Katie and William / get married (in Oxford)
____________________ ?

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 ____________________ .

9) Read the text and choose the correct option.

Queen Elizabeth

Queen Elizabeth (1) [was / are / were] born on April 26th, 1926. As a child, she (2) [study / studied / studying] art and music.
In 1947 she (3) [married / marry / marrying] Prince Philip. They (4) [receive / received / is receiving] 2,500 gifts from around
the world!
In 1952 her father, George V (5) [die / is dying / died] and Elizabeth (6) [is / became / become] Queen. The Coronation (7)
[was / take / took] place in 1953. In 2012, the Queen (8) [celebrated / celebrate / got] 60 years as Monarch. People (9) [have /
had / played] street parties and (10) [sing / ate / sang] ‘God save the Queen’.
Although it rained, everyone enjoyed themselves!

Imagine you are interviewing the Queen. Write some questions about her early life.

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