SIMPLE PAST

Verb “to Be”

Professor Carlos F. Barba
The affirmative form:

I, he, she, it was

you, we, they were

Examples:
▪ I was in London in 1999.
▪ Pam was in London in 1999, too.
▪ We were together.
▪ She was my girlfriend.
The interrogative form:

Was I, he, she, it?

Were you, we, they?

Examples:
▪ Were you in London last year?
▪ Was Pam with you?
▪ Were you together?
 The negative form:

I, he, she, it was not / wasn’t

You, we, they were not / weren’t

Ellos no estaban en Acapulco. / They weren’t in

Acapulco
I wasn't in Paris in 1999. / we weren’t in Paris
Pam wasn't in Paris in 1999.
We weren't in Paris.
I was in Rome yesterday.
She wasn’t in time.
They were in Paris.
They weren’t happy.
Practice
1. A: _____________ you out of town las week?
B: No, I ______________. Why?

2. A: How __________ the food?

B: Great! There ________________ lots of fresh seafood, and
the fruit _________ delicious.
3. A: So __________ your vacation OK?
B: Well, actually it __________. The food _______ terrible,
and there ________ too many people.

4. A: Where _______ you last weekend?

B: I _______ on vacation.
5. A: How long ______ your trip?
B: Only a few hours, but we _______ pretty tired.

6. A: _______ your brother on vacation las week?

B: Yes, he _________. He and his wife ________ on a cruise.
Answers
 Were
1. A: _____________ you out of town las week?
wasn’t
B: No, I ______________. Why?

was
2. A: How __________ the food?
were lots of fresh seafood, and the fruit
B: Great! There _________
______
was delicious.
 Was your vacation OK?
3. A: So ________
wasn’t
B: Well, actually it __________. was terrible,
The food _______
and there ________
were too many people.

were you last weekend?

4. A: Where _______
was on vacation.
B: I _______
 was your trip?
5. A: How long ______
were pretty tired.
B: Only a few hours, but we _______

Were your brother on vacation las week?

6. A: _______
was
B: Yes, he _________. were on a cruise.
He and his wife ________
The simple Past tense: Spelling
Rules for regular verbs.
Form the past verbs of most regular verbs by adding –ed to the
base form.
Play ----- played

For verbs ending in –e or –ie, add –d.

Smile ---- smiled tie ---- tied

For one syllable verbs ending in one vowel + consonant, double

the consonant and add –ed.
Stop ---- stopped plan ---- planned
For verbs ending in a consonant and –y change the –y to –I and
add –ed
Study ---- studied
Practice
 REGULAR VERBS

1.return _________
7.travel ______
2.like _______
8.arrive ______
3.change _______
9.rain _______
4.cry _______
10.wait ______
5.try ______
11.offer ______
6.stay ______
12.hurry ______
 REGULAR VERBS

1.return _________
returned
7.travel ______
traveled
2.like _______
liked
8.arrive ______
arrived
3.change _______
changed
9.rain _______
rained
4.cry _______
cried
10.wait ______
waited
5.try ______
tried
11.offer ______
offered
6.stay ______
stayed
12.hurry ______
hurried
 IREGULAR VERBS

1.eat ________
7.run ________
2.drink ________
8.begin ________
3.swim ________
9.buy ______
4.go _______
10.read _______
5.write __________
11.draw ________
6.meet ________
12.understand _____________
 IREGULAR VERBS

1.eat ________
ate
7.run ________
ran
2.drink ________
drank
8.begin ________
began
3.swim ________
swam
9.buy ______
bought
4.go _______
went
10.read _______
read
5.write __________
written
11.draw ________
drew
6.meet ________
met
12.understand _____________
understood
Change each affirmative statement into a negative statement

1.I sleep all night. ________________

I didn’t sleep all night.
2.We went swimming. ________________
We didn’t go swimming.
3.She ate a lot of food. ________________
She didn’t a lot of food.
4.They drank a lot of coffee. ________________
They didn’t drink a lot of coffee.
5.We had dinner at eight. ________________
We didn’t have dinner at eight.
He didn’t buy postcards.
6.He bought postcards. ________________
Unscramble the words to write questions. Use the simple past
tense.
1.you / go / where / on vacation last summer
2.you / from vacation / get back / when
3.they / a good flight / have
4.in London / you / do / what
5.your parents / their trip / in Paris / Alicia
Frequency Adverbs