SIMPLE PAST TENSE

The Use of Simple Past Tense

1. USE 1 Completed Action in the Past

• Use the Simple Past to express the idea that

an action started and finished at a specific
time in the past.
• Sometimes, the speaker may not actually
mention the specific time, but they do have
one specific time in mind.
 Examples
a. I saw a movie yesterday.
b. I didn't see a play yesterday.
c. Last year, I traveled to Japan.
d. Last year, I didn't travel to Korea.
e. Did you have dinner last night?
f. She washed her car.
2. 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.
 Examples
• I finished work, walked to the beach,
and found a nice place to swim.

• He arrived from the airport at

8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00,
and met the others at 10:00.
3. 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.
 Examples

• I lived in Brazil for two years.

• Shauna studied Japanese for five years.
• They sat at the beach all day.
• They did not stay at the party the entire
time.
• We talked on the phone for thirty
minutes.
4. 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." To make it
clear that we are talking about a
habit, we often add expressions such
as: always, often, usually, never,
when I was a child, when I was
younger, etc.
 Examples
• She was shy as a child, but now she
is very outgoing.
• He didn't like tomatoes before.
• Did you live in Texas when
you were a kid?
• People paid much more to make
cell phone calls in the past.
5. USE 5 Past Facts or Generalizations

The Simple Past can also be used to

describe past facts or generalizations which
are no longer true. As in USE 4 above, this
use of the Simple Past is quite similar to
the expression "used to."
 PATTERN OF SPT

1. Subject + to be + Object/ Complement

2. Subject + V2 + Object/ Complement

TO BE WAS/ WERE
Exercise 1

Complete the sentences with was or were.

1. I _____ happy.
2. You _____ angry.
3. She _____ in London last week.
4. He _____ on holiday.
5. It _____ cold.
6. We _____ at school.
7. You _____ at the cinema.
8. They _____ at home.
9. The cat _____ on the roof.
10.The children _____ in the garden.
 Affirmative and Negative
Sentences
Subject to be Adverbial of Adverbial of
place time

I was
He was not At home
She wasn’’t In the hospital Yesterday.
It On holiday Last week.
You were In London
We were not
They weren’t
Exercise 2
Put in was or were into the gaps.
1) I _____ in Canberra last spring.
2) We _____ at school last Saturday.
3) Tina _____ at home yesterday.
4) The mice _____ happy to have cheeses.
5) Robert and Stan _____ Garry's friends.
6) You _____ very busy on Friday.
7) They _____ in front of the supermarket.
8) The policemen _____ ready in the museum.
9) My teeth _____ clean and white.
10)Pupils _____ late for school.
 Interrogative Sentence
Question To be Subject Adverbial of Adverbial of
Words place time

What I
When He At home
Where Was
She In the Yesterday.
Why
hospital
How
Who It On holiday Last week.
You In London
Were We
They
Make the interrogative form.

1) I _____ very busy on Friday.

2) They _____ in front of the
supermarket.
3) The policeman _____ ready in the
museum.
4) My teeth _____ clean and white.
5) Pupils _____ late for school.
Make the interrogative form.
1. She ____ sad yesterday.
2. They ____ in the disco club last night.
3. Sally ____ a good pupil.
4. The news from BBSi ____ interesting.
5. Nobody ____ disappointing.
6. The homework _____ challenging.
7. Both of them ____ talkative.
8. The audiences _____ very excited yesterday.
9. The Javanese _____ very friendly.
10.There ____ new information for the consumers.
 Exercise 3
1. Make your own sentences using was
or were.
a. 30 affirmative sentences
(15 singular subjects and 15 plural
subjects.)
b. Then, make the interrogative form of
your 30 sentences. Choose 5 of 30.
 Who am I?
I was a kid movie star.
I was also a kid singer.
I was a kid talent of advertisement too.
I was a star in my era.
However, my fans and family ever disappointed of
me when I got frustrated to my life.
Yeah, a dark time of my carrier when I made that
video .... About me and my elementary school
friends.... and the bullying...
Marshanda
I was the most popular male singer.
I was ever in love with a young female
singer too.
We were in love for some years.
But then, I went wild. I grew arrogant.
I think that my fans were dissapointed of me.
Justin Bieber
They was / were...
I was like.... I was love...
I like...
I was ....

were vs where

I was young ....

I was Junior High school boy...
I was beautiful ....
I was slim ...
REGULAR AND IRREGULAR

PAST TENSE VERB

SONG
 LKS (DISCUSSING THE PATTERN)
 EMPHASIZING
 Pay attention on this ...
Both of them were talkative.
She was sad yesterday.
They were in the classroom.
Bobby drove the car.
My parents came to my dormitory.

They were kicked ....

It was made ...
She was singing ...
Change into V2. Then, Decide whether the V2
of these verb irregular (I)or regular (R)past
tense verb.
21. knew
1. Climb 11. think 22. flew
2. Meet 12. Watch 23. met
3. See 13. Arrive 24. loved
4. Put 14. Come 25. found
5. Cut 15. Study 26. got
6. Throw 16. Make 27. didn’t care
7. Look 17. Sit 28. fell
8. Wash 18. Laugh 29. took
9. Learn 19. Feel 30. Walked
10. Sweep 20. fly 31. Heard
32.Liked
33. put
Ask for the bold part of the sentence.

1. Billy ate an apple.

2. The children played in the garden.
3. Laura came home at six o'clock.
4. The boy read a book.
5. The girl wrote five letters.
6. My friends swam in the lake.
7. He paid the bill.
8. The teacher pointed to the board.
9. They felt good.
10.He hurt his leg because he was not careful.
 Interrogative Sentence
Question Auxiliary Subject Verb Adverbial Adverbial
Words verb 1 of place of time

What I
When He come At home
Where did
She study In the Yesterday.
Why
hospital
How
Who It eat On holiday Last week.
You grow In London
We
They
Put the verbs into the simple past:
1. He (pay) ______ the bill.
2. It (be) _______ fantastic.
3. I (visit) ______ lots of interesting places. I (be) ______ with
two friends of mine .
4. In the mornings we (walk) ______ in the streets of London.
5. The teacher (point) _______ to the board.
6. The weather (be) ______ strangely fine.
7. My friends (swim) _______ in the lake.
8. We (see) ______ some beautiful rainbows.
9. Where (spend / you) ______ your last holiday?
10. Maria (arrive) _______ home from work at eight p.m. last
night.
 Rearrange the sentences into a good paragraph

1. After breakfast, I got dressed so quickly that I forgot to

wear socks.
2. First, I woke up an hour late because my alarm clock
didn't go off.
3. Next, I ran out of the house trying to get the 9:30 bus,
but of course I missed it.
4. Finally, I walked the three miles to my school only to
discover that it was Sunday!
5. Then, I was in such a hurry that I burned my hand when I
was making breakfast.
6. I hope I never have a day as the one I had yesterday.
7. I had a terrible day yesterday.
8. I wanted to take a taxi, but I didn't have enough money.
 Example
(+) The children played basketball last week.
(-) The children didn’t play basketball last week.
(?) Did the children play basketball last week?

The children played basketball last week.

(?) What did the children play last week?
 Exercises
 In a group of 4, make 30 questions of to be “was and
were’ and past tense verb (it can be in form of
affirmative sentences, negative or interrogative
sentences.)  finish it at 13.00 (at maximum)
e.g. 1. Tinny (tear) ______ the paper.
2. The pupils (be) ______ diligent.
3. Why (pick/you) ________ in the morning?
 After you finish making the questions, at the time
decided, exchange it to other groups.
Your friend will answer your question.
 Negative Sentences
1. She was a child.
 was + not = was not or wasn’t
(-) She was not a child.

2. She wrote a letter.

 wrote : did + write (V1)
(-) She did not write a letter.
GROUP COMPETITION
Decide whether the sentences is correct or incorrect
based your own group opinion.
1. We were went to holiday.
2. I was liked wrote.
3. They were go to the museum last night.
4. Did the boys played football last Sunday?
5. He was alwasy smile on Monday.
6. My mother was very like cooking.
7. I liked singing.
8. They were went to the beach last holiday.
9. My brother dug the hole.
10.Did the baby cried loudly last night?
 Writing Revision
 Check your friends’ writing.
 Circle the incorrect form of your friends’writing.
 After you finish, return it to the owner.
 For the owner, please fix your own writing
in another paper (using loose leaf).
 Use dictionary to check the word spelling.
 Make at least 3 paragraphs.
(1 paragraph : 4-5 sentences)
 The revision of your writing will be scored.
C. Direction: Arrange these jumbled words into the right
order sentences.
1. My friends and I – several days ago – Ahmad Yani International
airport – went to
2. Public transportation – there – we – by – went
3. First thing – in that place – we – do – just – walking around
– was
4. People – saw – we – bought – who – tickets
5. The – gate – entered – departure
6. Came out – just – gate – arrival – from
7. Couldn’t – we – see – aeroplane – the – taken off – landed
on – which is – or
8. Don’t have – that – area – we – ticket – any – we – so –
couldn’t – enter
9. We – photograph – some – took – us – of – as – proof –
that – as – the airport – have ever seen
10. Returned – we – our – to – boarding house – the same – by –
public transportation