Past Simple - Worksheet for Adult Learners - ESL worksheet by - Free Printable

To solve this worksheet, we need to look at each picture and think about what that object usually does. An "action word" or verb tells us what is happening.

Here is the step-by-step thinking for each item:

1. Car: A car moves on roads. The most common word for this is drive. You could also say "go" or "move," but "drive" is the best fit for a car.
2. Train: A train moves on tracks. We often say a train chugs or moves, but the simplest action word is go or travel. However, looking at the other items, simple verbs are best. Let's use move or go. Actually, trains specifically choo-choo (sound) or roll. Let's stick with drive or move. Wait, cars drive. Trains run on tracks? Or just go? Let's look for specific actions.
* Car -> Drive
* Train -> Chug or Move or Go. Let's pick Go or Move. Actually, a very common verb for trains in kids' worksheets is choo-choo (as an action/sound) or simply move. Let's look at the others first to see the pattern.
3. Soccer Ball: What do you do with a soccer ball? You kick it. That is the main action.
4. Helicopter: Helicopters fly in the sky. They spin their blades. The main action is fly.
5. Airplane: Airplanes also go in the sky. The action is fly.
6. Rocket: Rockets go up into space. They blast off or fly or zoom. Fly is good, but blast off is more specific. Let's see if we can use simpler words. Go up? Fly? Let's stick with fly or zoom.
7. Scooter: You ride a scooter. So the action is ride. Or you can scoot. Ride is very common.
8. Sailboat: Sailboats move on water. They sail. That is the perfect verb.

Let's refine the list to be the most accurate and simple verbs for a student:

* Car: Drive
* Train: Chug (or Move/Go). Let's use Chug as it's distinct, or Move. Actually, Run is sometimes used for trains ("the train runs on tracks"). But Go is safest. Let's look at the car again. If the car is "driving", the train might be "chugging". Let's provide the most standard action verbs.
* Car: Drive
* Train: Chug (common in children's books) or Move. Let's go with Chug or Go. I will provide Chug as it's a fun action word, but Move is safer. Let's look at the helicopter.
* Helicopter: Fly
* Soccer Ball: Kick
* Airplane: Fly
* Rocket: Blast off or Fly. Blast off is a great action phrase. Zoom is also good. Let's use Blast off.
* Scooter: Ride
* Sailboat: Sail

Let's re-evaluate the Train. Is there a better word? Roll? Travel? In many kindergarten worksheets, the pair is Car/Drive and Train/Chug. Or Car/Go and Train/Go. Let's assume specific verbs are better.

Revised List:
1. Car: Drive
2. Train: Chug (or Move)
3. Soccer Ball: Kick
4. Helicopter: Fly
5. Airplane: Fly
6. Rocket: Blast off (or Fly)
7. Scooter: Ride
8. Sailboat: Sail

Let's double check.
- Can you "drive" a train? No, you "engineer" it, but kids might say drive. But "Chug" is the sound/action.
- Can you "kick" a car? No.
- Can you "sail" a car? No.

The verbs should be specific to the object if possible.

* Car: Drive
* Train: Chug
* Soccer Ball: Kick
* Helicopter: Fly
* Airplane: Fly
* Rocket: Blast off
* Scooter: Ride
* Sailboat: Sail

This looks like a solid set of answers.

Final Answer:
Here are the action words (verbs) for each picture:

* Car: Drive
* Train: Chug (or Move)
* Soccer Ball: Kick
* Helicopter: Fly
* Airplane: Fly
* Rocket: Blast off (or Zoom)
* Scooter: Ride
* Sailboat: Sail