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Past Simple · Exercises

C2Proficient practice

It’s time we… / I’d rather you… and formal inversion.

Want to mix tenses, go endless or pick exercise types? Set up your own session.

What you’ll practise at C2

  • Irregular verbs (went, saw, bought…)
  • Negatives: didn’t / wasn’t
  • Questions: Did you…?
  • Past simple or present perfect?
  • Unreal past: It’s time we left / I wish I knew
  • Passive: was built, weren’t invited, Were you told?
  • Emphatic did and inversion (Little did she know…)
  • Timelines: what the tense means

Need a refresher? Learn the past simple: rules, tables and audio examples.

Sample exercises

A taste of what’s inside. In practice mode every exercise is freshly generated.

  1. Is this sentence correct?

    Ivan didn't meet a famous actor last month.

    Correct · Has a mistake

    Show answer

    Ivan didn't meet a famous actor last month.

    Yes, it’s correct. Negatives: didn’t + base form (not the past form). Ivan didn't meet a famous actor last month.

  2. Choose the passive form.

    The theatre _____ (gut) by fire in 1992.

    was gutted · were gutted · was gut · was guting

    Show answer

    The theatre was gutted by fire in 1992.

    Past simple passive: was / were + past participle (the action matters more than who did it).

  3. Write the correct form of the verb.

    I’d rather Lily _____ (not / bring) it up at the meeting.

    Show answer

    I’d rather Lily didn't bring it up at the meeting.

    After “I’d rather + another person”, use the past simple to talk about the present or future.

  4. Which timeline shows this sentence?

    He cooked dinner.

    Finished at a time in the past · In progress at a moment in the past · Going on up to a moment in the past · Finished before a moment in the past

    Show answer

    He cooked dinner.

    “cooked” is the past simple (past form (did in questions and negatives)): finished at a time in the past.

  5. Which sentence matches the timeline?

    (Timeline: Finished at a time in the past)

    My friends had been painting the kitchen. · My friends were painting the kitchen. · My friends had painted the kitchen. · My friends painted the kitchen.

    Show answer

    My friends painted the kitchen.

    “painted” is the past simple (past form (did in questions and negatives)): finished at a time in the past.

  6. Complete the sentence.

    I’d rather Zara _____ (not / call) after ten.

    didn't call · won't call · haven't called · didn't called

    Show answer

    I’d rather Zara didn't call after ten.

    After “I’d rather + another person”, use the past simple to talk about the present or future.