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Quality ESL grammar worksheets, quizzes and games - from A to Z - for teachers & learners
PAST SIMPLE 3

CEFR Level A1 to A2
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Grammar Dictation
Past Simple
Listen to your teacher and complete the sentences with the past tense forms of the verbs you hear.

Level:  Elementary (CEFR A1 to A2)


Time:  Approx. 10 - 15 minutes


​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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ACTIVITY SUGGESTION 1
If your classroom has Internet capabilities, consider having your learners listen to the adjective prompts by playing the audio file below.
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ACTIVITY SUGGESTION 2

Once your learners have checked their answers, consider extending the activity by having them change the sentences into questions, or into negative statements.

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Grammar Quiz                                Past Simple
(with Regular Verbs only)
16 multiple-choice questions; with ANSWER KEY and percentage conversion chart

Level:  Elementary ​(CEFR A1 to A2)

Time:  Approx. 15 minutes


​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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ACTIVITY SUGGESTION                         
Use this quiz either as a pre-activity diagnostic tool, or as a post-activity evaluative assessment.  Consider saving time marking papers by (1) asking your learners to switch papers, and then (2) playing the YouTube video at left and having your students peer correct.  Wrap-up by  discussing any mistakes.  (Add 5 to 10 minutes.)

​An original video (4:16) created and uploaded to YouTube by
All Things Grammar

Visit my YouTube channel to subscribe and watch more English language teaching and learning videos!
​Try the interactive version of the above quiz!

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Grammar Quiz                 
Past Simple
​
(with both Regular & Irregular Verbs)


16 multiple-choice questions; with ANSWER KEY and percentage conversion chart

Level:  Elementary (CEFR A1 to A2)
​

Time:  Approx. 15 minutes

​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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​Try the interactive version of the above quiz!


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Grammar Quiz
​(Short Version of Above Quiz)
           
 
Past Simple
​
(with both Regular & Irregular Verbs)


12 multiple-choice questions

Shorter version of the above quiz with slightly larger font size

With ANSWER KEY and percentage conversion chart


Level:  Elementary to Upper-Intermediate

Time:  Approx. 15 minutes
​
​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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Grammar Worksheet                 Past Simple: Regular

15 sentences (fill in the gaps to complete each sentence); with ANSWER KEY and percentage conversion chart

Level:  Elementary (CEFR A1 to A2)

Time:  Approx. 15 minutes

​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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ACTIVITY SUGGESTION                         
Before giving this worksheet to your students, review and discuss the fact that we use Past Simple for actions that began and finished in the past.  Have your students complete this worksheet before moving on to Irregular Verbs.
                                                                                  Wrap-up by having students compare answers with classmates, and then choose one or two students to write their answers on the board: (1) waited; (2) didn't walk, etc.  Correct and discuss any mistakes.
(Add 5 to 10 minutes.)



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Grammar Worksheet                  Past Simple: Irregular

15 sentences (fill in the gaps to complete each sentence); with ANSWER KEY and percentage conversion chart

Level:  Elementary (CEFR A1 to A2)

Time:  Approx. 15 minutes

​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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ACTIVITY SUGGESTION                          
See above activity suggestions (Past Simple: Regular).  Also, make sure your students have studied the grammar reference chart above (or one like it) for a list of common irregular verbs.

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Grammar Crossword                Crossword: Past Simple (Irregular)

32 clues; with ANSWER KEY 

Level:  Elementary (A1 to A2)

Time:  Approx. 20 minutes

​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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Grammar Word Search           Past Simple: Irregular

18 word items; with ANSWER KEY

Level:  Elementary (CEFR A1 to A2)

Time:  Approx. 15 minutes

​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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ACTIVITY SUGGESTION                         
Grammar Word Searches often work well as a simple warm-up at the beginning of a lesson.  A great idea is to follow-up this activity by using some (or all) of the words in a writing activity, or perhaps a board game (see 'Chalk Talk' on page below for an example).

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​Remember to select 'grayscale' in your computer printer settings to save on color ink!
Grammar Board Game                  Past Simple

30 squares, each asking for a different comparison (speak for at least 1minute per roll)

Pair work or small groups

Dice required

Level: Elementary (CEFR A1 to A2)


Time:  Approx. 20 minutes

​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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​Remember to select 'grayscale' in your computer printer settings to save on color ink!
Grammar Lesson                      Past Simple
(with prepositions of Location)


8 pages; with NOTES and ANSWER KEY

Level:  Elementary (CEFR A1 to A2)

Time:  Approx. 2 - 3 hours

​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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ACTIVITY SUGGESTION                         
Consider breaking this lesson up into two or three parts, spread over two or three days of teaching.  Alternatively, take a look at what best suits your class and use only those pages.

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Grammar Discussion                  Past Simple

Student 'A' version and Student 'B' version, each with 10 different discussion questions.

Level:  Elementary (CEFR A1 to A2)

Time:  Approx. 20 minutes

​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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ACTIVITY SUGGESTION                         
Have your learners seated in pairs and make sure that they don't look at each others papers.  After they finish, have them switch papers and continue one more time; then, stand up and talk to two or three classmates and ask two questions: (1) Who did you talk to?  (2) What interesting things did you find out about him/her?

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Grammar Game + 
Worksheet 
        
Past Simple             
                        


11 Past Tense sentences that, when joined together, create a story about what happened to Sue last week.  Students each memorize one sentence strip before standing and working together with classmates to re-create the story.  NOTES and ANSWER KEY are provided.

The Grammar Worksheet (attached on page
​2 of the file) can be used to follow up this activity, or it can be used on its own.


Level:  Elementary (CEFR A1 to A2)

Time:  Grammar Game: Approx. 20 minutes

Time:  Grammar Worksheet: Approx. 10 - 15 minutes.

​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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ACTIVITY SUGGESTION                          
For weaker students, consider the possibility of using the worksheet on its own (without the cut-up sentences).

For a stronger class, consider the possibility of having your students memorize the sentence strips before handing them back to you (or perhaps folding the paper strips and putting them in their pockets - to be referred to only if truly needed!)


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Grammar in Writing                 Past Simple

First, complete the sentences by writing the correct past tense forms of the words in parentheses. Then, finish the story by using the past tense ... and your imaginaation.

Level:  Elementary (CEFR A1 to A2)

Time:  Approx. 30 to 40 minutes

​Download the PDF file by clicking on the gold
button ​below!
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ACTIVITY SUGGESTION                          
If your class is outgoing, consider the possibility of having your students write the stories in groups of three, and then turning their stories into plays!  Have one student be a narrator, while the other two students act out the story for their classmates!
Back to Past Simple Page 2
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