English Grammar Exercises for A1 – Past simple negative and interrogative

1. Make the sentences negative.

1) Jake phoned Sarah yesterday evening.

     Jake didn’t phone Sarah yesterday evening.

2) George went to London last weekend.

 ____________

3) Joe wrote his new jacket yesterday.

 ____________

4) Pete invited Fred to his birthday party.

 ____________

5) You sent me an email.

 ____________

6) Wendy left home before nine o’clock.

 ____________

7) dad studied German at school.

______________

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2) George didn’t go to London last weekend.

3) Joe didn’t wear his new jacket yesterday.

4) Pete didn’t invite Fred to his birthday party.

5) You didn’t send me an email.

6) Wendy didn’t leave home before nine o’clock.

7) dad didn’t study German at school.

2. Write true sentences about what you did last weekend. Use the past simple, affirmative or negative, and the prompts.

1) make a phone call

  I made a phone call. / I didn’t make a phone call.

2) go to the theatre

  ____________

3) help with the housework

  ____________

4) play basketball

  ____________

5) read a book

______________

Show answers

2) I went to the theatre. / I didn’t go to the theatre.

3) I helped with the housework. / I didn’t help with the housework.

4) I played basketball. / I didn’t play basketball.

5) I read a book. / I didn’t read a book.

3. Put the words in the correct order to make questions. Then write true answers.

1) you / last night? / go / did / when / to bed

      When did you go to bed last night?

      I went to bed at ten o’clock.

2) come / how / this morning? / did / you / to school

  ____________

  ____________

3) do / what / you / last Saturday morning? / did

  ____________

  ____________

4) last Sunday? / you / what time / did / get up

  ____________

  ____________

5) this morning? / you / what / did / for breakfast / have

______________

______________

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2) How did you come to school this morning?

3) What did you do last Saturday morning?

4) What time did you get up last Sunday?

5) What did you have for breakfast this morning?

Students’ own answers

4. Listen to Rosie asking Rob about his weekend and complete the sentences. Use the past simple form, affirmative or negative, of the verbs in brackets.

1) Rob __didn’t have__ a good time at the weekend. (have)

2) Rob and Sam ____________ football. (play)

3) Rob and Sam ____________ to the cinema. (go)

4) Rob and Sam ____________ a film. (see)

5) Rob and Sam ____________ the right bus. (take)

Show answers

2) didn’t play   3) went   4) didn’t see   5) didn’t take

Transcript

Rosie Did you have a good weekend?

Rob No, not really.

Rosie Oh, why not?

Rob Well, on Saturday I wanted to play football with Sam, but the weather was terrible.

Rosie So, what did you do then?

Rob We went to the cinema.

Rosie Was the film good?

Rob We didn’t see it. We took the wrong bus so we didn’t arrive on time.

Rosie Oh dear!

5. Now write questions and short answers. Use your answers to exercise 4.

1) Did Rob have a good time at the weekend?

      No, he didn’t.

2) _____

 ________

3) _____

 ________

4) _____

 ________

5) _____

     ________

Show answers

2) Did Rob and Sam play football? No, they didn’t.

3) Did Rob and Sam go to the cinema? Yes, they did.

4) Did Rob and Sam see a film? No, they didn’t.

5) Did Rob and Sam take the right bus? No, they didn’t.

6. Find the mistakes in these sentences. Rewrite them correctly.

1) Sally catched the bus to town. ✗

      Sally caught the bus to town.

2) When you come home last night? ✗

  ________

3) Did Mum made a cake yesterday? ✗

  ________

4) Kevin not wore jeans to school. ✗

  ________

5) We didn’t stayed in last night. We went out. ✗

  ________

6) ‘Did Jamie watch TV last night?’ ‘Yes, he watched.’  ✗

  ________

Show answers

2) When did you come home last night?

3) Did Mum make a cake yesterday?

4) Kevin didn’t wear jeans to school.

5) We didn’t stay in last night. We went out.

6) ‘Did Jamie watch TV last night?’ ‘Yes, he did.’

Challenge!

Write three more quiz questions for your classmates. Use when, where, and what.

1) When did Poland join the European Union?

2) _____

3) _____

4) _____

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