English exercises / A1 / Verbs & tensesRegular -ed forms, irregulars, and questions and negatives with did.
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Past simple vs past continuous
The past continuous describes what was already going on; the past simple reports what happened. In a sentence with when, the longer background action takes the continuous and the event that cuts in takes the simple: I was reading when the phone rang.
Read the full explanationThe past simple
The past simple reports something finished, usually at a stated time. Regular verbs add -ed; around 180 irregular verbs have their own forms, and about 60 of those are common. Negatives and questions use did, and the main verb then returns to its base form.
Read the full explanationPast simple: worked examples
Five from the set, with the answer filled in and the rule that decides it.
- 01
The bus stopped outside the school ten minutes ago.
Short verbs ending consonant-vowel-consonant double the last letter.
- 02
We planned the whole trip last summer.
- 03
I studied for the test all last weekend.
A consonant before -y turns it into -ied: study → studied.
- 04
Last year they travelled to five different countries.
In British English a verb ending in -l doubles it: travelled.
- 05
We played football in the park yesterday.
A vowel before -y keeps the y: play → played.