Skip navigation

GRAMMAR: The past simple and expressions of past time

The past simple and expressions of past time

Look at these sentences from Carol's text:

  • I went to the cinema two weeks ago. The film was great.
  • We watched Inside Out
  • Patty and Christina did not like the film

In pairs, ask and answer the questions below:

  1. What form of the verb is in red?
  2. What auxiliary verb is used in the negative?

The past simple tense

Do you remember how to use the past simple tense? Watch this video and try to complete the chart


Past Simple Tense. Structuring Sentences. Vídeo de Go English en YouTube. Licenza YouTube estándar

 

Past

Exercise 1

Complete the conversation with was, wasn't, were or weren't.

 

A: Where you yesterday evening?

B: I at the cinema.

A: What the movie?

B: It Incredibles 2, a new animated film. It a bit predictable bit we disappointed.

A: Chris with you?

B: No she but Patricia and Anna with me.

Enable JavaScript

Exercise 2

You are going to listen to 5 sentences with their main verb in the past simple form. Try to complete the chart.

 


Ana Losada e José Luis Murado. CC BY-SA

     

Sentence Simple past Infinitive
Example bought buy
1
2
3
4
5

Exercise 3

Write full sentences and questions with the present simple in your notebook or on an electronic document.

Example:

He / get up late / yesterday (+): He got up late yesterday.

 

1. You / watch / The Godfather / last week (?)

2. She / go / to the cinema (-)

3. They / lose / their keys / yesterday (+)

4. She / like / the film / last week (-)

5. Peter / call / his mother / last night (?)

6. You / send / a message / to Lucy (?)

Bonus Task

Test your knowledge on the past simple. Here you have the links to three different online tests: