❓ Past Simple: Negatives & Questions
🚫 Negative Sentences
To make the negative in the past simple, we use:
Subject + didn't + base verb (infinitive without to)
- I didn’t go to school yesterday. ❌
- They didn’t play football. ❌
- He didn’t eat breakfast this morning. ❌
⚠️ Don't say: "didn't went", "didn't played". Always use the base form!
❓ Questions in Past Simple (with did)
To form a question, we use:
Did + subject + base verb?
- Did you watch the movie?
- Did she study for the exam?
- Did they come to the party?
Short answers: Yes, I did. / No, I didn’t.
🔠 Word Order in Questions (QWASI)
QWASI = Question Word + Auxiliary (did) + Subject + Infinitive
| Question Word | Did | Subject | Infinitive |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where | did | you | go? |
| What | did | he | say? |
| When | did | they | arrive? |
🟪 Questions with was/were (be)
If the main verb is be, we do not use did. Use was/were directly:
- Was she happy?
- Were they at the party?
- Where was your brother?
Negative with "be": He wasn’t tired. They weren’t there.
❌ Common Mistakes:
- ✅ I didn’t go. ❌ I didn’t went.
- ✅ Did you study? ❌ Did you studied?
- ✅ They weren’t here. ❌ They didn’t be here.
- ✅ Was he at school? ❌ Did he be at school?
Exercises:
Past simple: Negatives and questions
Choose the correct past simple forms to complete the sentences below.
1
He
to the party last night.
2
they see the movie yesterday?
3
She
the dessert — it was too sweet.
4
Why
you leave work early on Friday?
5
John
his keys at home and he couldn’t drive.
6
it rain this morning?
7
We
to the concert because the tickets were sold out.
8
Where
she put the book?
9
They
the test in time.
10
How long
the meeting last?
Past simple: Negatives and questions
Choose the correct past simple forms to complete these sentences.
1
I I ____ my homework last night.
A.
B.
C.
2
____ she call you yesterday?
A.
B.
C.
3
They ____ that restaurant before.
A.
B.
C.
4
Where ____ you go last summer?
A.
B.
C.
5
He ____ the window because it was cold.
A.
B.
C.
6
____ they know about the surprise?
A.
B.
C.
7
I ____ (miss) the bus this morning, but I ____ (not/be) late for work.
A.
B.
C.
8
She ____ (arrive) at 7 pm, and she ____ (not/have) dinner before the meeting.
A.
B.
C.
9
They ____ (buy) the tickets online, but the show ____ (not/start) on time.
A.
B.
C.
10
We ____ (finish) the report late, and we ____ (be) proud of our work.
A.
B.
C.
Past simple: Negatives
and questions
Complete the conversation using the words in brackets to make
past simple positive, negative, and questions.
1
Emma: Where (you/travel) this summer?
John: I (travel) to Italy and Spain.
2
Emma: (you/visit) the museum yesterday?
John: No, I (not/visit) it.
3
Emma: What time (you/arrive) home last night?
John: I (arrive) home at 11 p.m.
4
Emma: Why (you/call) me so late?
John: I (not/realize) the time.
5
Emma: (she/help) you with your homework?
John: Yes, she (help) me a lot.
6
Emma: (they/enjoy) the concert?
John: No, they (not/enjoy) it; it was too loud.
7
Emma: How (the movie/be)?
John: It (be) amazing!
8
Emma: (you/see) John at the café yesterday?
John: Yes, I (see) him there.
9
Emma: (you/finish) the report last night?
John: No, I (not/finish) it until this morning.
10
Emma: Where (you/find) that information?
John: I (find) it on the internet.