Simple Past Tense

The Simple Past Tense
The Simple Past Tense and The Negative Simple Past Tense of Regular Verbs
Spelling of The Simple Past Tense Verbs
Pronunciation of The Simple Past Tense Verbs
Grammar in Content
Read about Arthur and Karen.
Hey! How was your summer?
It was great! I was at a business seminar in Florida. Bill Gates was there! I talked to him for a few minutes. I also dropped in on a friend for lunch. We didn’t cook anything. Instead, we walked to a café near his house.
The Simple Past Tense
Complete the chart with positive and negative statements.
arrived
did not arrive
worked
did not work
called
did not call
What about Contractions?
didn’t
didn’t
didn’t
*You is either singular or plural.
Notes
We use the simple past to talk about events that happened and are now finished.
today
last night
last week
yesterday
I studied.
I worked.
I called.
Exercise A
Raise your hand if the statement is false.
Arthur’s summer wasn’t good.
Bill Gates was there.
Arthur didn’t drop in on his friend.
Arthur and his friend cooked lunch.
Arthur’s friend drove them to lunch.
Answers:
False
True
False
False
False
Spelling Verbs in the –ed Form
Look at the chart.
Continued on next slide.
Spelling Verbs in the –ed Form
Look at the chart.
Exercise B
Raise your hand if the statement is in the present progressive tense.
I walkt 12 miles yesterday.

He cryed at the end of the movie.

She danced when she was younger.

They plaid with the children.
Answers:
walked

cried

Correct

4. played
Grammar in Content
Read about Arthur and Karen.
Hey! How was your summer?
It was great! I was at a business seminar in Florida. Bill Gates was there! I talked to him for a few minutes. I also dropped in on a friend for lunch. We didn’t cook anything. Instead, we walked to a café near his house.
This time, try saying these verbs:
Pronunciation Notes
Complete the chart.
/t/ as in “cooked” and “helped”
/d/ as in “played” and “used”
/id/ as in “wanted” and “needed”
Exercise C
Practice aloud with a partner. Use these verbs in a past
tense sentence. Help and correct each other.
walk
cook
admit
work
cry
play
Grammar in Content
Read about Alison.
Let’s see… what did I do yesterday? I took a test in English. I ate dinner. I bought a new computer. I needed toothpaste, so I went to the convenience store. I called my house, but I didn’t speak to my sister.
Irregular Verbs
Complete the chart with positive and negative statements.
ate

did not eat

didn’t eat
*You is either singular or plural.
Notes
Irregular verbs do not have the –ed ending in the past tense. Here are some common irregular verbs and their past tense forms.
be / was, were
buy / bought
come / came
do / did
get / got
give / gave
go / went
have / had
leave / left
make / made
sell / sold
speak / spoke
meet / made
pay / paid
put / put
see / saw
take / took
write / wrote
See appendix 4 on page 232 for more irregular verbs and their simple past forms.
Exercise D
Ask a partner the question. Next, answer for yourself.
last night?
last Thursday?
this morning?
yesterday?
last Summer?
today
last night
last week
yesterday
?
What did you do
When did you
eat breakfast?
study?
write a letter?
shop?
meet your friend?
Review
arrived
did not arrive
worked
did not work
called
did not call
*You is either singular or plural.