A memory refresh (2) Simple Past

Simple Past The simple past tense is used to talk about actions that happened in the past.

USE 1 Completed Action in the Past I visited my parents last weekend. Last year, I traveled to USA. I didn't see a play yesterday. He didn't wash his car.

USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on. He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00. I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.

I waited for the bus one hour. Sara studied English for five years. USE 3 Duration in Past The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc. We talked on the phone for thirty minutes. I waited for the bus one hour. Sara studied English for five years.

I played piano when I was a child. Samira often came to school late. USE 4 Habits in the Past The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." I played piano when I was a child. Samira often came to school late. We traveled together when we were young.

He didn’t like lemonade before. USE 5 Past Facts or Generalizations the Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true. He didn’t like lemonade before. Hanan was a shy student before, but now she is outgoging. Cell phones were expensive in the past decade.

Make the past simple, positive, negative or question: 1. I _________________ (work) in a bank for ten years. 2. Where _________________ (you / live) when you were young? 3. She _________________ (not / study) French at university. 4. He _________________ (travel) through the Middle East last year. 5. _________________ (they / visit) the Louvre in Paris? 6. She _________________ (not / watch) TV yesterday. 7. We _________________ (buy) a new car last weekend. 8. Where _________________ (you / teach) before you came here? 9. He _________________ (not / think) that he was right. 10. I _________________ (cook) steak last night. 11. _________________ (Lucy / read) ‘War and Peace’ at school? 12. She _________________ (not / write) to her grandmother. 13. We _________________ (have) a computer when I was a child. 14. Where _________________ (you / go) on holiday? 15. I _________________ (love) ice cream when I was a child. 16. They _________________ (not / meet) yesterday. 17. _________________ (she / swim) in the sea in Greece? 18. We _________________ (not / play) tennis yesterday because it was raining. 19. He _________________ (try) to lift the box but he couldn’t. 20. What _________________ (you / eat) for lunch?

Answers: 1. I worked in a bank for ten years. 2 Answers: 1. I worked in a bank for ten years. 2. Where did you live when you were young? 3. She didn’t study French at university. 4. He travelled through the Middle East last year. 5. Did they visit the Louvre in Paris? 6. She didn’t watch TV yesterday. 7. We bought a new car last weekend. 8. Where did you teach before you came here? 9. He didn’t think that he was right. 10. I cooked steak last night. 11. Did Lucy read ‘War and Peace’ at school? 12. She didn’t write to her grandmother. 13. We had a computer when I was a child. 14. Where did you go on holiday? 15. I loved ice cream when I was a child. 16. They didn’t meet yesterday. 17. Did she swim in the sea in Greece? 18. We didn’t play tennis yesterday because it was raining. 19. He tried to lift the box but he couldn’t. 20. What did you eat for lunch?