Booklet of Simple Past

Grammar Practice W
orksheets ✎
Simple Past
Verb “To Be” Past Tense – Affirmative and Negative

A. Put the correct form of the verb “to be” (was/were) in the past tense in the following sentences.
1. Judy sick yesterday.

2. We in the same class last year.
3. I tired after a long day at work.
4. The weather beautiful yesterday.
5. Last semester my teachers very good.
6. The children hungry after so much exercise.
7. The wind very strong last night.
8. She very happy last week.
9. They nervous on the first day of school.
10. Luckily, the windows closed during the rain storm.
11. We very happy to get your letter last week.
12. The boys tired after the ball game.
B. Put the correct negative form of the verb “to be” (wasn’t/ weren’t) in the following sentences.
1. They at school yesterday because it was Saturday.

2. He hungry at supper time because he ate a big lunch.
3. Carol happy to see her boyfriend with another girl.
4. Bonnie at home last night when I called her.
5. The teacher satisfied with the student’s work.
C. Complete the following sentences with wasn’t or weren’t.
Ex. I am at work today, but I wasn’t here yesterday.
1. It is cold outside today, but .

2. She is sick today, but .
3. They are at school today, but .
4. The TV show is good today, but .
5. The apples are sweet today, but .
6. The class is interesting today, but .
7. The boss is angry today, but .
8. The door is locked today, but .
9. The exercises are easy today, but .
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Grammar Practice Worksheets ✎
Simple Past
Past Tense of the Verb “To Be” – Yes/No Questions

Practice making questions and giving short answers with the verb “to be” in the past tense.
Ex. Were you tired last night?

Yes, I was. (I was tired last night.)
1.
(It wasn’t cold outside yesterday.)
2.
(They weren’t sick last week.)
3.
(Don was at the office last Saturday.)
4.
(The car was expensive.)
5.
(The children weren’t excited.)
6.
(The store wasn’t open.)
7.
(The movie was interesting.)
8.
(The food wasn’t good.)
2
Simple Past
Past Tense of the Verb “To Be” – Information Questions

Use the correct question word (who, what, where, when, why, how many) and the correct form of the verb
“to be” in the past tense to make questions. The underlined words are the answers to the questions.
Ex. Why was she absent yesterday?

She was absent because she was sick.
1.
She was tired because she worked hard all day.
2.
She was at the mall last night.
3.
There were twenty people at the party.
4.
A diamond ring was in the box.
5.
The secretary was in the office.
6.
The students were absent last Tuesday.
7.
She was late because she missed her bus.
8.
Mrs. Jones was at the door.
3
Simple Past
Simple Past Tense – Regular Verbs
Choose the correct verb from the list below to complete the following sentences. Put the verb in the past
tense.
play / listen / paint / water / visit / mail / help / arrive / learn / watch / change / wait
1. I my friend in the hospital last night.

2. The boys baseball in the field behind the school.
3. Robert his wife wash the dishes.
4. We our living room a soft blue color.
5. Susan TV for two hours last night.
6. We planes on the way to New York.
7. I the letter on the way to work.
8. She for him for 20 minutes at the coffee shop.
9. They how to swim many years ago.
10. She the flowers in the garden yesterday.
11. The students late for class.
12. We to the radio until midnight.
Simple Past Tense – Negative
Change the following sentences to a negative and then write another sentence of your own in the
affirmative.
Ex. Mary baked a cake. Mary didn’t bake a cake.
She baked cookies.
1. The boys played soccer.
2. Carol called her mother.
3. Donald fixed his TV.
4. Peter danced with Betty.
5. Ann studied history.
4
Simple Past
Past Tense - Irregular Verb Practice
A. Write the correct past tense for each of the following verbs
Ex. catch – caught
1. cut 11. shake

2. dig 12. shoot
3. cost 13. shut
4. meet 14. sit
5. read 15. sing
6. ride 16. sleep
7. run 17. speak
8. see 18. spend
9. sell 19. stand
10. send 20. swim
Past Tense - Irregular Verbs – Negative & Affirmative
Complete the sentences below using the example given.
Ex. Bill usually eats cereal for breakfast.

He didn’t eat cereal yesterday. He ate toast.
1. Ben usually gets up at 7:00.

He at 7:00 yesterday. He at 8:00.
2. Ben usually takes a shower.

He a shower yesterday. He a bath.
3. Ben usually reads the Times newspaper.

He the Times yesterday. He the Post.
4. Ben usually leaves the house at 8:00.

He the house at 8:00. He at 9:00.
5
Simple Past
5. Ben usually takes a bus to work.
He a bus yesterday. He a taxi.
6. Ben usually meets his boss in the morning.

He his boss in the morning yesterday. He him in the afternoon.
7. Ben usually writes 10 letters every morning.

He write 10 letters yesterday. He 5 letters.
8. Ben usually eats lunch in the office.

He lunch in the office yesterday. He lunch in a restaurant.
9. Ben usually has a lot of appointments every day.

He a lot of appointments yesterday. He only a few.
10. Ben usually goes home at 6:00.

He home at 6:00 yesterday. He home at 7:00.
6
Simple Past
Past Tense Irregular Verbs – Question Formation
Write the questions. Follow the example given below.
Ex. Did you wake up early? No I didn’t. I woke up late.
1. at 7:00? No, we didn’t. We met at 8:00.
2. at the pool? No, he didn’t. He swam in the lake.
3. apples? No, she didn’t. She bought oranges.
4. French? No, they didn’t. They spoke Spanish.
5. to school? No, I didn’t. I drove to the office.
6. on time? No, he didn’t. He came late.
7. to Paris? No, she didn’t. She flew to Rome.
8. your purse? No, I didn’t. I lost my wallet.
9. a big fish? No, he didn’t. He caught a small one.
10. a cake? No, she didn’t. She made a pie.
11. 8 hours? No, I didn’t. I slept 9 hours.
12. their mother? No, they didn’t. They told me.
13. on the sofa? No, we didn’t. We sat on chairs.
14. a skirt? No, she didn’t. She wore a dress.
15. the windows? No, I didn’t. I shut the door.
16. at the front of the room? No, she didn’t. She stood at the
back of the room.
7
Simple Past
Past Tense – Irregular Verbs – Information Questions

Use the correct question word (who, what, where, when, why, how much) to make questions in the simple
past tense. The underlined words are the answers to the questions.
Ex. She bought the toy at Wal-Mart.

Where did she buy the toy?
1. They left the office at 6:00.
2. She didn’t go to work because she was sick.
3. I spent $80.00 on groceries.
4. *
Rosa spoke to the boss.
5. *
Rosa spoke to the boss.
(Note the difference between #4 and #5. Can you explain the grammar rule?)
6. She said “hello” to me.
7. I felt sick yesterday.
8. The sun rose at 6:45 A.M. yesterday.
9. She wore a beautiful dress to the party.
10.
The meeting took place in Room 29.
8
Simple Past
Review - Past Tense –Irregular Verbs

Choose the correct verb from the list below to complete the following sentences. Put the verb into the
correct past tense form.
buy / ring / lie / break / teach / fly / set / send / wake / swim / be / pay / meet /
have / write / drink / give / get / take / catch / lose
1. She a plate when she was washing the dishes.
2. They to Paris in a jumbo jet last week.
3. I the alarm clock for 7:00 yesterday morning, but I up a half-hour before the
alarm clock .
4. I a letter to my friends back home.
5. He flowers to his girlfriend for her birthday.
6. His mother care of him when he sick.
7. The teacher the mathematics class and then the students

three exercises to do for homework.
8. Angie a bad cold last week. She in bed for three days.
9. Matthew his wallet on the way to work yesterday. He very upset.
10. The children in the lake behind their house.
11. We a wonderful time at your party last night.
12. I groceries on my way home yesterday and I in cash.
13. I three friends at the café and we several cups of coffee together.
9
Simple Past
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Grammar Practice W

Verb “To Be” Past Tense – Affirmative and Negative

1. Judy sick yesterday.

1. They at school yesterday because it was Saturday.

C. Complete the following sentences with wasn’t or weren’t.

Ex. I am at work today, but I wasn’t here yesterday.

1. It is cold outside today, but .

Past Tense of the Verb “To Be” – Yes/No Questions

Ex. Were you tired last night?

(It wasn’t cold outside yesterday.)

(They weren’t sick last week.)

(Don was at the office last Saturday.)

(The car was expensive.)

(The children weren’t excited.)

(The store wasn’t open.)

(The movie was interesting.)

(The food wasn’t good.)

Past Tense of the Verb “To Be” – Information Questions

Ex. Why was she absent yesterday?

She was tired because she worked hard all day.

She was at the mall last night.

There were twenty people at the party.

A diamond ring was in the box.

The secretary was in the office.

The students were absent last Tuesday.

She was late because she missed her bus.

Mrs. Jones was at the door.

Simple Past Tense – Regular Verbs

1. I my friend in the hospital last night.

Simple Past Tense – Negative

1. The boys played soccer.

2. Carol called her mother.

3. Donald fixed his TV.

4. Peter danced with Betty.

5. Ann studied history.

Past Tense - Irregular Verb Practice

Ex. catch – caught

1. cut 11. shake

Past Tense - Irregular Verbs – Negative & Affirmative

Complete the sentences below using the example given.

Ex. Bill usually eats cereal for breakfast.

1. Ben usually gets up at 7:00.

2. Ben usually takes a shower.

3. Ben usually reads the Times newspaper.

4. Ben usually leaves the house at 8:00.

6. Ben usually meets his boss in the morning.

7. Ben usually writes 10 letters every morning.

8. Ben usually eats lunch in the office.

9. Ben usually has a lot of appointments every day.

10. Ben usually goes home at 6:00.

Past Tense Irregular Verbs – Question Formation

Write the questions. Follow the example given below.

Ex. Did you wake up early? No I didn’t. I woke up late.

1. at 7:00? No, we didn’t. We met at 8:00.

2. at the pool? No, he didn’t. He swam in the lake.

3. apples? No, she didn’t. She bought oranges.

4. French? No, they didn’t. They spoke Spanish.

5. to school? No, I didn’t. I drove to the office.

6. on time? No, he didn’t. He came late.

7. to Paris? No, she didn’t. She flew to Rome.