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The simple past tense

Exercise 1. Put the verbs in the following sentences into the simple past tense.
I go to work by bus.
2. I meet her on Tuesdays.
3. He always wears black.
4.I make cakes every week.
5. She gets up at 6.3. 6.
He understands me.
!. He shuts the shop at 6..
". She speaks slowly.
#. He leaves the house at #..
$. I read a chapter every n%ght.
$$. &ou eat too much.
$2. I see h%m every day.
$3. Tom s%ngs %n the cho%r.
$4. He cr%es when he %s hurt.
$5. 'ho knows the answer(
$6. I th%nk I know %t.
$!. The curta%n r%ses at "..
$". He takes a dog out tw%ce a day.
$#. 'e buy them here.
2. I dream every n%ght.
2$. He o)ten )eels %lls.
22. I know what he wants.
23. I usually pay h%m *5.
24. H%s dog always b%tes me.
25. It costs 3 p.
26.+y back hurts.
2!. I l%e down a)ter lunch.
2". 'e dr%nk water.
2#. H%s roses grow well.
3. He r%des every day.
3$. He o)ten )alls.
32. These dogs )%ght whenever they
33. He puts h%s pr%ces every year. 34. He
sleeps badly.
a. Exercise 2. Put the verbs in the following sentences into (a) the negative (b) the
$. She saw your brother.
2. 'e heard a terr%ble no%se.
3. He slept t%ll $..
4. He looked at the p%cture.
5. They drank all the w%ne.
6. They set out early enough.
!. She thought about %t.
$!. He lost h%s wallet.
$". H%s son wrote a novel.
$#. ,nn drew you a map.
2. Tom la%d the table.
2$. +r -%tt )ell downsta%rs.
22. She lost her way.
23. He )orbade her to leave.
". The pol%ce caught the th%e).
#. He h%d the latter.
$. She )ound her watch.
$$. H%s nose bled.
$2. +y mother chose th%s hotel
2. .$3. She lent your enough money.
$3. .e%ko taught /apanese.
$4. Tom hurt h%s )oot.
$5. He broke h%s arm.
$6. H%s w%)e came at "..
24. I sent %t to the laundry.
25. /ack kept the money.
26. He rode slowly.
2!. They spent %t all.
2". She sold the car.
2#. /ean rang the bell.
3. The sun rose at 6..
3$. The boys ran home.
32. He shook the bottle.
33. He )orgave her.
34. They broadcast an appeal )or money.
The past continuous tense
-ut the verbs %n brackets %nto the past cont%nuous tense.
0etect%ve1 I2m a)ra%d I must ask you both what you 3do4 yesterday at $.2 p.m. 5 +r 61 I 3play4
chess w%th my w%)e. 5 +r &1 I 3l%sten4 to a play on the rad%o.
2. The ch%ldren were )r%ghtened because %t 3get4 dark.
3. It was a )%ne day and the roads were crowded because a lot o people 3rush4 to the seas%de.
4. The aeroplane %n wh%ch the )ootball team 3travel4 crashed soon a)ter tak%ng o)).
5. He usually wears sandals but when I last saw h%m he 3wear4 boots.
6. The house was a great d%sorder because he 3redecorate4 %t.
!. The d%rector d%dn2t allow the actors to travel by a%r wh%le they 3work4 on the )%lm.
". The car had nobody %n %t but the eng%ne 3run4.
#. Two ch%ldren 3play4 on the sand and two )%shermen 3lean4 aga%nst an upturned boat.
$. I was alone %n the house at that t%me because +r /ones 3work %n the garage and +r /ones
$$. He sa%d that he was a capta%n o) a sh%p wh%ch 3sa%l4 that n%ght )or +arse%lles.
$2. ,re you go%ng to 7ome( I thought that you 3go4 to +%lan.
$3. +y w%)e and I 3talk4 about you the other day.
$4. 'hen I )%rst me h%m he 3study4 pa%nt%ng.
$5. There was a strong smell and the sound o) try%ng. 8bv%ously +rs /ones 3cook4 )%sh.
$6. Tom ate noth%ng )or lunch because he 3d%et4. He sa%d that he 3try4 to lose $ k%los.
$!. 'ho you 3talk4 to on the telephone as I came %n( 5 I 3talk4 w%th +r -%tt.
$". ,s she 3cl%mb4 the ladder %t sl%pped s%deways and she )ell o)) %t.
$#. 'hen I )%rst met h%m he 3work4 %n a restaurant.
2. He watched the ch%ldren )or a moment. Some o) them 3bathe4 %n the sea9 others 3look4 )or
shells9 others 3play4 %n the sand.
2$. 'here he 3l%ve4 when you saw h%m last(
22. She 3stand4 at the bus stop. I asked her what bus she 3wa%t4 )or.
23. :rom the sound %t was clear that +ary 3pract%se4 the p%ano.
24. There had been an acc%dent and men 3carry4 the %n;ured people to an ambulance.
25. Two men 3)%ght4 at a street corner and a pol%ceman 3try4 to stop them. 5 'hat they 3)%ght4
26. Tom 3s%t4 %n a corner w%th a book. I told that he 3read4 %n very bad l%ght.
2!. I went %nto the garden to see what the boys 3do4. /ames 3weed4 and ,le<ander 3cut4 the grass.
2". They had taken o)) the wheel o) the car and 3mend4 the puncture. I asked when %t would be
2#. 'hen I arr%ved at the meet%ng the )%rst speaker had ;ust )%n%shed speak%ng and the aud%ence
3. The tra))%c 3make4 so much no%se that I couldn2t hear what he 3say4.
3$. 'h%le he 3learn4 to dr%ve he had twenty5)%ve acc%dents.
32. He had a bad )all wh%le he 3repa%r4 h%s roo).
33. He was a l%ttle mad. He always 3try4 to prove that the earth was )lat.
34. 'h%le we 3)%sh4 someone came to the house and le)t th%s note.
35. The e<am had ;ust begun and the cand%dates 3wr%te4 the%r names to the top o) the%r papers.
36. /ust as I 3wonder4 what to do ne<t9 the phone rang.
The simple past and the past continuous
Exercise 1. Put the verbs in brackets into the simple past or the past continuous tense.
$. I l%t the )%re at 6. and %t 3burn br%ghtly when Tom came %n at !..
2. 'hen I arr%ved the lecture had already started and the pro)essor 3wr%te on the overhead
3. I 3make4 a cake when the l%ght went out. I had to )%n%sh %t %n the dark.
4. I don2t want to meet -aul so when he entered the room I 3leave4.
5. =n)ortunately when I arr%ved ,nn ;ust 3leave49 so we only had t%me )or a )ew words.
6. He 3watch4 T> when the phone rang. >ery unw%ll%ngly he 3turn4 down the sound and 3go4 to
answer %t.
!. He was a very pol%te. 'henever h%s w%)e entered the room he 3stand4 up.
". The 3adm%ral4 play bowls when he rece%ved news o) the %nvas%on. He 3%ns%st4 on )%n%sh%ng the
#. +y dog 3walk4 along ?u%etly when +r -%tt2s -ek%nese attacked h%m.
$. 'hen I arr%ved she 3have4 lunch. She apolog%@ed )or start%ng w%thout me but sa%d that she
always 3lunch4 at $2.3.
$$. He always 3wear4 a ra%ncoat and 3carry4 an umbrella when he walked %n the o))%ce.
$2. 'hat you 3th%nk4 o) th%s last book( 5 I 3l%ke4 %t very much.
$3. I 3share4 a )lat w%th h%m when we were students. He always 3compla%n4 about my unt%d%ness.
$4. He suddenly 3real%@e4 that he 3travel4 %n the wrong d%rect%on.
$5. He 3play4 the gu%tar outs%de her house when someone opened the w%ndow and 3throw4 out a
bucket o) water.
$6. I ;ust 3open4 the letter when the w%nd 3blow4 %t out o) my hand.
$!. The burglar 3open4 the sa)e when he 3hear4 )ootsteps. He %mmed%ately 3put4 out h%s torch and
3crawl4 under the bed.
$". 'hen I 3look4 )or my passport I 3)%nd4 th%s old photographs.
$#. &ou looked very busy when I 3see4 you last n%ght. 'hat you 3do4(
2. He 3clean4 h%s gun when %t acc%dentally 3go4 o)) and 3k%ll4 h%m.
2$. He 3not allow4 us to go out %n the boat yesterday as a strong w%nd 3blow4.
22. ,s I 3cross4 the road I 3step4 on a banana sk%n an 3)all4 heav%ly.
23. I st%ll 3l%e4 on the road when I 3see4 a lorry %n t%me.
24. I st%ll 3l%e4 on the road when I 3see4 a lorry approach%ng.
25. Auck%ly the dr%ver 3see4 me and 3stop4 the lorry %n t%me.
26. How you 3damage4 you car so badly(
2!. ,s he 3get4 %nto the bus %t 3start4 suddenly and he 3)all4 backwards on to the road.
2". I 3call4 -aul at !. but %t wasn2t necessary because he already 3get4 up.
2#. 'hen he 3mend4 the )use he 3get4 a very bad shock.
3. 'hen I 3hear4 h%s knock I 3go4 to the door and 3open4 %t9 but I 3not recogn%@e4 h%m at )%rst
because I 3not wear4 my glasses.
3$. 'hen I came %n they 3s%t4 round the )%re. +r -%tt 3do4 a crossword pu@@le9 +rs -%tt 3kn%t49 the
others 3read4. +r -%tt 3sm%le4 at me and 3say49 BCome and s%t down.2
32. 'h%le the guests 3dance4 th%eves 3break4 %nto the house and 3steal4 a lot o) )ur coats.
33. The ne<t day9 as they 3know4 that the pol%ce 3look4 )or the9 they 3h%de4 the coats %n a wood
and 3go4 o)) %n d%))erent d%rect%ons.
34. She was very e<travagant. She always 3buy4 hersel) new clothes.
35. Her mother o)ten 3tell4 her that she 3spend4 too much money but she never 3l%sten4.
36. 'henever the drummer 3beg%n4 pract%s%ng9 the people %n the ne<t )lat 3bang4 on the wall.
Exercise 2. Put the verb in brackets into the simple past or past continuous tense.
$. +r Sm%th never 3wake4 up %n t%me %n the morn%ngs and always 3get4 %nto trouble )oe be%ng lateD
so one day he 3go4 to town and 3buy4 an alarm clock.
2. To get home he 3have to4 go through a )%eld where a bad5tempered bull usually 3gra@e4.
3. Th%s bull normally 3not chase4 people unless someth%ng 3make4 h%m angry. =n)ortunately9 as +r
Sm%th 3cross4 the )%eld9 h%s alarm clock 3go4 o)).
4. Th%s 3annoy4 the bull9 who %mmed%ately 3beg%n4 to chase +r Sm%th.
5. +r Sm%th 3carry4 an open umbrella as %t 3ra%n4 sl%ghtly. He 3throw4 the umbrella to the ground an
3run4 away as )ast as he could.
6. The bull 3stop4 and 3beg%n4 to attack the umbrella. 'h%le he 3do4 th%s +r Sm%th escaped.
!. 'hen he 3awake4 she 3s%t4 by the w%ndow. She 3look4 at someth%ng %n the street9 but when he
3call4 her she 3turn4 and 3sm%le4 at h%m.
". 'hy you 3%nterrupt4 me ;ust now( I 3have4 a very %nterest%ng conversat%on w%th +r -%tt.
#. The murderer 3carry4 the corpse down the sta%rs when he 3hear4 a knock on the door.
$. 'hen I 3look4 through your books I 3not%ce4 that you have a copy o) Murder in the Cathedral.
11.,s they 3walk4 along the road they 3hear4 a car com%ng )rom beh%nd them. Tom 3turn4 round
and 3hold4 up h%s hand. The car 3stop4.
$2. 'hen I 3arr%ve4 at the stat%on +ary 3wa%t4 )or me. She 3wear4 a blue 3shout4 someth%ng9 but I
couldn2t hear what she 3see4 me she 3wave4 and everybody 3make4 such a no%se.
$3. The pr%son 3escape4 by cl%mb%ng the wall o) the garden where he 3work4. He 3wear4 blue
overalls and black shoes.
$4. She sa%d that the car 3travel4 at 4 k.p.h. when %t 3beg%n4 to sk%d.
$5. She sa%d that she 3not l%ke4 her present )lat and 3try4 to )%nd another.
$6. 'h%le he 3make4 h%s speech the m%n%ster suddenly 3)eel4 )a%nt. Eut someone 3br%ng4 h%m a glass
o) water and a)ter a )ew m%nutes he 3be able4 to cont%nue.
$!. 'hen I 3see4 h%m he 3pa%nt4 a portra%t o) h%s w%)e. 5 &ou l%ke %t(
$". He only ;ust 3start4 when I 3see4 %t9 so I couldn2t ;udge.
$#. I 3take4 my )r%end to a murder tr%al the other day. 5 'ho 3be4 tr%ed(
2. I 3be4 sorry4 that I 3have to4 leave the party early9 because I 3en;oy4 mysel).
2$. ,s we 3come4 here a pol%ceman 3stop4 us. He 3say4 that he 3look4 )or some stolen property and
3ask4 %) he could search the car.
22. I 3see4 you yesterday )rom the bus. 'hy you 3use4 a st%ck( 5 I 3use4 a st%ck because I had hurt
my leg that morn%ng )all%ng o)) a horse. 5 'hose horse you 3r%de4(
23. The )loor was covered w%th balls o) wool. 8bv%ously +rs -%tt 3kn%t4 someth%ng.
24. ,nn sa%d the she 3be4 on hol%day. I 3say4 that I 3hope4 that she 3en;oy4 hersel).
25. 'h%le he 3water4 the )lowers %t 3beg%n4 to ra%n. He 3put4 up h%s umbrella and 3go4 on water%ng.
26. I ;ust 3wr%te4 a che?ue when I 3remember4 that I 3have4 noth%ng %n the bank.
2!. I 3)%nd4 th%s r%ng as I 3d%g4 %n the garden. It looks very old. I wonder who %t 3belong4 to(
2". 'hen I last 3see4 her she 3hurry4 along the road to the stat%on. I 3ask4 here where she 3go4 and
she 3say49 BAondon29 but I don2t th%nk she 3speak4 the truth because there 3not be4 any tra%n )or
Aondon at that t%me.
2#. The ta%lor sa%d9 B&ou su%t w%ll be ready on +onday.2 Eut when I 3call4 on +onday he st%ll
3work4 on %t.
3. The teacher 3come4 %nto the classroom usually early and one o) the boys9 who 3smoke4 a
c%garette9 3have4 no t%me to put %t out. So he 3throw4 %t %nto the desk and 3hope4 )or the best.
3$. , l%ttle later the teacher 3not%ce4 that smoke 3r%se4 )rom th%s desk. 5 B&ou 3smoke4 when I
3come4 %n(2
32. 'h%le I 3sw%m4 someone 3steal4 my clothes and I 3have to4 walk home %n my sw%msu%t.
33. The men 3say4 that they 3work4 on the road outs%de my house and they 3want4 some water to
make tea.
34. He 3say4 that he 3bu%ld4 h%msel) a house and that he 3th%nk4 %t would be ready %n two years.
35. ,t 3 a.m. +rs -%tt #wake4 her husband and 3say4 that she 3th%nk4 that someone 3try4 to get %nto
the house.
36. 'hy you 3lend4 h%m that book( I st%ll 3read4 %t. 5 I2m sorry. I 3not know4 that you st%ll 3read4 %t.
3!. I 3come4 %n very late last n%ght and un)ortunately the dog 3wake4 up and 3start4 to bark. Th%s
3wake4 my mother who 3come4 to the top o) sta%rs and 3say49 B'ho %s there(2 5 I 3say49 B%t2s me92
but she 3not hear4 me because the dog 3bark4 so loudly9 so she 3go4 back to her room and
3telephone4 the pol%ce.