Past Simple Exercises - Free Online Practice with Answers
Master past simple tense with our complete collection of 18 interactive exercises and 350 practice questions
Welcome to our comprehensive past simple exercises collection. Learn to talk about completed past actions with confidence using regular and irregular verbs. Our free online exercises cover all aspects of past simple tense. Each exercise provides instant feedback and detailed explanations to help you master this fundamental grammar skill.
Our past simple practice questions are designed for A1-B2 English learners and include regular verbs (-ed endings), irregular forms, questions with Did, negative sentences with didn't, and time expressions. With comprehensive past simple practice available at your fingertips, you can improve your skills anytime. No registration or payment required - start practicing immediately!
18
Exercises
370
Questions
3-4h
Total Time
0/18
Completed
🎯 Recommended Learning Path
- 1. Start with Regular Verbs to understand -ed endings
- 2. Learn Irregular Verbs Part 1 (20 most common verbs)
- 3. Continue with Irregular Verbs Part 2 (20 more verbs)
- 4. Practice Negative Sentences with didn't
- 5. Master Questions with Did
- 6. Use Time Expressions correctly
- 7. Complete Mixed Practice exercises
- 8. Take the Final Test to assess your mastery
📊 Exercise Difficulty Levels
Past Simple Easy
Start with past simple easy exercises like Regular Verbs and Negative Sentences. These exercises focus on basic -ed patterns and didn't + base verb forms, perfect for beginners who are just starting to learn past tense.
Intermediate Level
Progress to medium difficulty exercises covering irregular verbs, questions with Did, and time expressions. These exercises introduce more complex verbs while building on the foundation from easier exercises.
Past Simple Difficult
Challenge yourself with past simple difficult exercises including mixed practice and the final test. These advanced exercises test your complete understanding of past simple in various contexts.
Tip: Master regular verbs first before moving to irregular verbs. The -ed pattern is consistent and will give you confidence before tackling the more challenging irregular forms.
Past Simple Irregular Verbs - Part 1
easyLearn 20 common irregular verbs (go, see, make, come)
Past Simple Irregular Verbs - Part 2
mediumPractice 20 more irregular verbs (buy, bring, think, teach)
Past Simple Irregular Verbs - Part 3
mediumLearn less common but important verbs (wear, grow, choose, drive)
Past Simple Irregular Verbs - Part 4
hardMaster challenging irregular verbs with tricky patterns
Was/Were vs Did - Part 1 (Basic)
easyMaster the crucial difference: was/were for states, did for actions
Was/Were vs Did - Part 2 (Intermediate)
mediumPractice harder contexts with emotions, opinions, and descriptions
Was/Were vs Did - Part 3 (Mixed Contexts)
mediumMaster realistic conversations and narrative contexts
Was/Were vs Did - Part 4 (Advanced Mastery)
hardMaster formal language, edge cases, and complex structures
Past Simple Mixed Practice (Intermediate)
mediumChallenge yourself with varied contexts and forms
💡 Tips for Success
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- • Adding -ed to irregular verbs (goed ❌ → went ✓)
- • Using -ed with Did (Did you worked? ❌ → Did you work? ✓)
- • Forgetting time expressions need past simple
- • Mixing past simple with present perfect
Practice Strategy
- • Master regular -ed pattern first
- • Learn 10 irregular verbs at a time
- • Practice questions and negatives separately
- • Use time expressions to signal past simple
❓ Frequently Asked Questions about Past Simple Exercises
📚 Past Simple Theory & Examples
Learn the uses and see examples to master past simple tense
📋 Past Simple Quick Reference
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Positive (Regular) | Subject + verb-ed | I worked yesterday. |
| Positive (Irregular) | Subject + past form | She went to school. |
| Negative | Subject + didn't + base verb | They didn't play football. |
| Question | Did + subject + base verb? | Did you see the movie? |
| WH-Question | WH + did + subject + base verb? | Where did you go? |
🎯 When to Use Past Simple
1. Completed Actions in the Past
Actions that started and finished in the past
I visited my grandmother last week.
2. Series of Completed Actions
Multiple actions that happened one after another
I got up, took a shower, and ate breakfast.
3. Past Habits or States
Things that were true in the past but not now
I lived in London for five years. (But I don't live there now)
4. With Specific Time Expressions
When we mention when something happened
The meeting started at 9 o'clock yesterday.
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