Beginner · A1 5 exercises General English

Past simple — I worked, I went

The past simple on its own: finished actions in the past — regular -ed verbs, irregular verbs, and did / didn't in negatives and questions.

This unit takes the past simple on its own — no comparison with another tense. Learn what it is for, then learn the forms.

A — When do we use the past simple?

We use the past simple for actions that started and finished in the past. The action is over.

1) A finished action at a known past time

we often say when.

• I watched a film last night.
• She started school in 2019.
• We arrived at six o'clock.

2) A series of finished actions

one thing after another — this is how we tell a story.

• I woke up, had breakfast and went to work.
• He opened the door, looked inside and smiled.

3) Past habits and past situations

true then, but not now.

• When I was a child, I played football every day.
• My grandfather lived in a small village.

Try it: Regular or irregular?

Choose the correct past simple form.

1. We ___ to the cinema last night.
   (a) goed   (b) went   (c) gone
2. She ___ the door and came in.
   (a) opened   (b) openned   (c) opend
3. I ___ my keys yesterday.
   (a) losed   (b) lost   (c) loosed
4. They ___ football every day last summer.
   (a) plaied   (b) played   (c) playd
5. He ___ very tired after the journey.
   (a) were   (b) was   (c) did

Check your answers in the course — it marks them instantly. This is one of the unit's 5 exercises; the other 4 are in the General English course too.

Practise this unit in the course →

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• Previous · A1

  Present simple — I work, she works

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  Future simple — I will go