Exercise 1: Past time expressions

We often use time expressions like yesterday, last week/month/year and two days/weeks/months/years + ago to talk about the past simple (I played soccer three weeks ago).

Imagine it is Thursday at 9pm. Match the sentences with the time expressions.

Exercise 2: Past Simple (Affirmative and Negative)

We use the Past Simple to talk about finished actions in the past.

There are two types of verbs: regular and irregular. Regular verbs end in -ed (wanted, listened).

Irregular verbs are different (have – had, eat – ate).

We can express the negative by using didn’t (He didn’t watch the movie).

Complete the paragraph with the correct form of the verb in brackets.

Canada’s Confederation

• Canada {{{became}}}

(become)

•  a country on July 1st, 1867. This day is known as Confederation Day or Canada Day. Before confederation, it {{{was}}}

(be)

•  a collection of four provinces – Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. British Columbia {{{didn’t join}}}

(not join)

•  the country until 1871. In the beginning, British Columbia {{{wanted}}}

(want)

•  to join the United States instead, but the first Prime Minister of Canada {{{promised}}}

(promise)

•  a railroad that would connect it to the rest of Canada. The railroad brought {{{brought}}}

(bring)

•  a lot of people to Canada’s west coast and the small city of Gastown {{{grew}}}

(grow)

 into the busy, beautiful Vancouver we know today.

Exercise 3: Past Simple (Questions)

We can make questions in Past Simple with did.  When you use did, remember that you use the base form of the verb (Did you go? NOT Did you went?).

The word order is: (Wh-question word) did + subject + base form verb

• Did they meet Thomas yesterday?  Yes, they did.
• Where did they meet Thomas?   They met Thomas at the mall.