Past Simple Regular Verbs ESL Grammar Test Worksheet - Free Printable
Educational worksheet: Past Simple Regular Verbs ESL Grammar Test Worksheet. Download and print for classroom or home learning activities.
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Step-by-step solution for: Past Simple Regular Verbs ESL Grammar Test Worksheet
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Show Answer Key & Explanations
Step-by-step solution for: Past Simple Regular Verbs ESL Grammar Test Worksheet
Let's solve each section of this Past Simple – Regular Verbs worksheet step by step. I'll provide the correct answers and explain how to approach each part.
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Regular verbs form the past tense by adding -ed to the base form (e.g., *play → played*).
Some verbs have spelling rules:
- Verbs ending in -e: add -d (e.g., *love → loved*)
- Verbs ending in consonant + y: change y → i + ed (e.g., *study → studied*)
- Verbs ending in -l: double the l if it’s a short word (e.g., *travel → travelled*)
Now let’s fill in the blanks:
1. play → played
2. study → studied
3. wash → washed
4. die → died
5. paint → painted
6. watch → watched
7. try → tried
8. start → started
9. phone → phoned
10. stay → stayed
11. love → loved
12. help → helped
13. carry → carried
14. walk → walked
15. skip → skipped
16. answer → answered
17. enjoy → enjoyed
18. cry → cried
19. laugh → laughed
20. invite → invited
21. visit → visited
22. move → moved
23. tidy → tidied
24. like → liked
✔ All are regular verbs, so just apply the -ed rule with proper spelling changes.
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We remove "didn't" and change the verb to its past simple form.
1. Robert didn’t wait for his friends this morning.
→ Robert waited for his friends this morning.
2. They didn’t listen to music at 11 p.m. last night.
→ They listened to music at 11 p.m. last night.
3. My mother didn’t clean the kitchen yesterday.
→ My mother cleaned the kitchen yesterday.
4. The students didn’t learn Japanese last year.
→ The students learned Japanese last year.
5. Mr. Smith didn’t arrive home before dinner.
→ Mr. Smith arrived home before dinner.
6. Her aunt didn’t cook the dinner on Tuesday.
→ Her aunt cooked the dinner on Tuesday.
💡 Tip: Remove "didn’t", then use the past simple form of the main verb.
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We use didn’t + base verb for negative past simple.
1. Patricia watched a film at 10 p.m. last night.
→ Patricia didn’t watch a film at 10 p.m. last night.
2. I borrowed a book from the library last week.
→ I didn’t borrow a book from the library last week.
3. My classmates answered all the questions.
→ My classmates didn’t answer all the questions.
4. She talked to her English teacher five days ago.
→ She didn’t talk to her English teacher five days ago.
5. Mrs. Jackson repaired the chair last weekend.
→ Mrs. Jackson didn’t repair the chair last weekend.
6. Eric brushed his teeth before breakfast today.
→ Eric didn’t brush his teeth before breakfast today.
7. Debra and Rachel cycled to school yesterday.
→ Debra and Rachel didn’t cycle to school yesterday.
✔ Remember: Use didn’t + base verb, even if the subject is plural or third person.
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These are personal questions — you should answer based on your own experience.
1. Did you play any musical instruments yesterday?
→ Yes, I played the guitar yesterday. / No, I didn’t play any instruments.
2. Which film did you watch last weekend?
→ I watched “Inception” last weekend.
3. Did your mother clean the house last week?
→ Yes, she cleaned the house. / No, she didn’t.
4. Where did you stay on your last holiday?
→ I stayed at a hotel in Paris.
5. Who did you last talk with on the telephone?
→ I last talked with my sister on the phone.
📝 These are open-ended. Just write true answers using past simple.
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We need to create questions that would lead to the given answers. The underlined parts are the key information we must ask about.
1. Marilyn printed her photographs last Saturday.
→ When did Marilyn print her photographs?
2. Roy worked in a marble factory last year.
→ Where did Roy work last year?
3. Mr. King watched the news yesterday evening.
→ What did Mr. King do yesterday evening?
4. My cousin milked all the cows this morning.
→ Who milked all the cows this morning?
5. Yes, she finished her project about recycling.
→ Did she finish her project about recycling?
6. The children visited the library every day.
→ How often did the children visit the library?
7. I telephoned Mrs. Garcia at 6 p.m. yesterday.
→ When did you telephone Mrs. Garcia?
8. No, Danielle didn’t need any help this morning.
→ Did Danielle need any help this morning?
9. Roy and Joe jumped on the sofa an hour ago.
→ What did Roy and Joe do an hour ago?
10. Mr. Wright played hide and seek with his son.
→ What game did Mr. Wright play with his son?
💡 Strategy: Identify what the underlined part is (time, place, person, action, etc.), then use the appropriate question word:
- When? → time
- Where? → place
- Who? → person
- What? → action/object
- How often? → frequency
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This worksheet helps practice:
- Forming past simple of regular verbs.
- Converting sentences between positive/negative forms.
- Asking and answering questions using past simple.
- Understanding question formation based on context.
Let me know if you'd like this as a printable PDF or want explanations in another language!
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A) Write the past forms of the regular verbs below.
Regular verbs form the past tense by adding -ed to the base form (e.g., *play → played*).
Some verbs have spelling rules:
- Verbs ending in -e: add -d (e.g., *love → loved*)
- Verbs ending in consonant + y: change y → i + ed (e.g., *study → studied*)
- Verbs ending in -l: double the l if it’s a short word (e.g., *travel → travelled*)
Now let’s fill in the blanks:
1. play → played
2. study → studied
3. wash → washed
4. die → died
5. paint → painted
6. watch → watched
7. try → tried
8. start → started
9. phone → phoned
10. stay → stayed
11. love → loved
12. help → helped
13. carry → carried
14. walk → walked
15. skip → skipped
16. answer → answered
17. enjoy → enjoyed
18. cry → cried
19. laugh → laughed
20. invite → invited
21. visit → visited
22. move → moved
23. tidy → tidied
24. like → liked
✔ All are regular verbs, so just apply the -ed rule with proper spelling changes.
---
B) Rewrite these sentences making them positive.
We remove "didn't" and change the verb to its past simple form.
1. Robert didn’t wait for his friends this morning.
→ Robert waited for his friends this morning.
2. They didn’t listen to music at 11 p.m. last night.
→ They listened to music at 11 p.m. last night.
3. My mother didn’t clean the kitchen yesterday.
→ My mother cleaned the kitchen yesterday.
4. The students didn’t learn Japanese last year.
→ The students learned Japanese last year.
5. Mr. Smith didn’t arrive home before dinner.
→ Mr. Smith arrived home before dinner.
6. Her aunt didn’t cook the dinner on Tuesday.
→ Her aunt cooked the dinner on Tuesday.
💡 Tip: Remove "didn’t", then use the past simple form of the main verb.
---
C) Rewrite these sentences making them negative.
We use didn’t + base verb for negative past simple.
1. Patricia watched a film at 10 p.m. last night.
→ Patricia didn’t watch a film at 10 p.m. last night.
2. I borrowed a book from the library last week.
→ I didn’t borrow a book from the library last week.
3. My classmates answered all the questions.
→ My classmates didn’t answer all the questions.
4. She talked to her English teacher five days ago.
→ She didn’t talk to her English teacher five days ago.
5. Mrs. Jackson repaired the chair last weekend.
→ Mrs. Jackson didn’t repair the chair last weekend.
6. Eric brushed his teeth before breakfast today.
→ Eric didn’t brush his teeth before breakfast today.
7. Debra and Rachel cycled to school yesterday.
→ Debra and Rachel didn’t cycle to school yesterday.
✔ Remember: Use didn’t + base verb, even if the subject is plural or third person.
---
D) Answer the questions about yourself.
These are personal questions — you should answer based on your own experience.
1. Did you play any musical instruments yesterday?
→ Yes, I played the guitar yesterday. / No, I didn’t play any instruments.
2. Which film did you watch last weekend?
→ I watched “Inception” last weekend.
3. Did your mother clean the house last week?
→ Yes, she cleaned the house. / No, she didn’t.
4. Where did you stay on your last holiday?
→ I stayed at a hotel in Paris.
5. Who did you last talk with on the telephone?
→ I last talked with my sister on the phone.
📝 These are open-ended. Just write true answers using past simple.
---
E) Read the answers and write questions to the underlined words.
We need to create questions that would lead to the given answers. The underlined parts are the key information we must ask about.
1. Marilyn printed her photographs last Saturday.
→ When did Marilyn print her photographs?
2. Roy worked in a marble factory last year.
→ Where did Roy work last year?
3. Mr. King watched the news yesterday evening.
→ What did Mr. King do yesterday evening?
4. My cousin milked all the cows this morning.
→ Who milked all the cows this morning?
5. Yes, she finished her project about recycling.
→ Did she finish her project about recycling?
6. The children visited the library every day.
→ How often did the children visit the library?
7. I telephoned Mrs. Garcia at 6 p.m. yesterday.
→ When did you telephone Mrs. Garcia?
8. No, Danielle didn’t need any help this morning.
→ Did Danielle need any help this morning?
9. Roy and Joe jumped on the sofa an hour ago.
→ What did Roy and Joe do an hour ago?
10. Mr. Wright played hide and seek with his son.
→ What game did Mr. Wright play with his son?
💡 Strategy: Identify what the underlined part is (time, place, person, action, etc.), then use the appropriate question word:
- When? → time
- Where? → place
- Who? → person
- What? → action/object
- How often? → frequency
---
✔ Final Summary
This worksheet helps practice:
- Forming past simple of regular verbs.
- Converting sentences between positive/negative forms.
- Asking and answering questions using past simple.
- Understanding question formation based on context.
Let me know if you'd like this as a printable PDF or want explanations in another language!
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of simple past worksheet.
