Past Tense Practice
Part 1 Questions in the Simple Past
Tony just got back from his week long vacation in Spain. His parents are curious to know all
about his trip, so they ask him many questions. You will find Tony’s answers below. Put the
words in the proper order to create an appropriate question for each answer. The first one is
done for you.
1.have you fun did
Did you have fun ?
R: Yes, I did! It was incredible!
2.Long you did Madrid stay in how
How long did you stay in Madrid?
R: I stayed in Madrid for three days
3. Did then you where go
Then where did you go?
R: To Cordoba and Toledo!
4. the were nice locals
Were nice the locals?
R: The were nice locals
5. See aqueducts you did the Roman
Did you see the Roman aqueducts?
R: Yes, they were amazing!
Part 2: Negative Statements in the Simple Past
Brad is a young, mischievous boy. His parents had to leave him with the babysitter for an
evening when they went out to dinner and a movie. When they got back, the babysitter told
them Brad had misbehaved. However, when Brad’s parents confronted him, he denied
everything!
Answer every question with a negative statement. Use the contraction form of the negative
auxiliary (didn’t). The first one is done for you.
1. Did you misbehave?
R:No, I didn’t misbehave.
2. Did you play soccer inside the house?
R: No, I didn’t play soccer inside the house
3.Did you break grandma’s vase?
R: No I didn't break it / I didn’t break grandma's vase
4.Did you hide your vegetables under the tablecloth?
R: No.I didn't hide them under the tablecloth / I didn’t hide my vegetables under the
tablecloth
5. Did you stick your tongue out at the babysitter?
R: No, I didn’t stick my tongue out at her / I didn’t stick my tongue out at the babysitter
Part 3: Past Progressive
Several bikes were stolen from the university campus over the weekend. Thanks to security
cameras, the campus police have determined that the bikes were stolen some time Saturday
night between the hours of 8:00- 10:00 PM. In an effort to catch the thief, the campus police
are interviewing several suspects. Each suspect, however, seems to have an alibi.
Use the past progressive to complete the statements. The first one is done for you.
Question for all suspects: What were you doing between the hours of 8-10PM on Saturday
night?
1.Suspect 1 I / walk my dog
I was walking my dog
2 Suspect 2: (My wife and I / cook dinner)
My wife and I were cooking dinner
3. Suspect 3: (I / have a drink with my friends.)
I was having a drink with my friends
4.Suspect 4: (My friends and I / dance at a nightclub)
My friends and I were dancing at a nightclub
5. Suspect 5: (I/ watch my a movie)
I was watching a movie
Part 4: Past Progressive or Simple Past?
Jane and Ron’s Night In
Read the story. Choose the correct verb form. The first one is done for you.
1. Last night, Jane and her husband, Ron, decided / were deciding to stay in because it
rained/ was raining
Last night, Jane and her husband decided to stay in because it was raining
2. First, they made / were making dinner together and ate / were eating it by candlelight
First, they made dinner together and ate it by candlelight.
3. Then, Ron washed / was washing the dishes.
Then Ron washed the dishes
4. When the kitchen was finally clean, they watched/ were watching a movie.
When the kitchen was finally clean they watched a movie
5. While they watched/ were watching the movie, a mouse quickly ran/ was quickly running
across their
floor.
6. When Jane saw it / was seeing it, she screamed/ was screaming.
When Jane saw it, she screamed.
7. Ron paused/ was pausing the movie, and ran/ was running after the mouse.
Ron paused the movie and ran after the mouse.
8. While he ran/ was running, he tripped/ was tripping over a shoe in the middle of the floor.
While he was running, he tripped over a shoe in the middle of the floor
9. “I lost it!” he said / was saying with frustration, “I missed/ was missing it!”
Darn! he said with frustration, I missed it!
10. Jane sighed/ was sighing and looked/ was looking at her husband.
Jane sighed and looked at her husband.
11. Ron lay/ was lying on the floor on top of her shoe.
Ron was lying on the floor on top of her shoe.
12. How romantic!” Jane said / was saying, “You were going to catch a mouse for me!”
How romantic!” Jane said, “You were going to catch a mouse for me!
13. Sorry to disappoint you, but I didn’t try/ wasn’t trying to catch the mouse.
Sorry to disappoint you, but I wasn’t trying to catch the mouse.
14. I tried/ was trying to get back a piece of popcorn he stole when I tripped/ was tripping
over your shoe.
I was trying to get back a piece of popcorn he stole when I tripped over your shoe.
