Get Back ! We spoke in the past tense.

9th November 2011

Recent online classes have revealed a distressing lack of ability using basic verbs in the past tense or Verb 2 as they are called in my neck of the woods.

In Vietnamese, the past tense is formed differently.

The verb remains the same but other words are added to indicate the tense. Alternately, time indicators are employed. Very briefly, a literal translation from the Vietnamese could be:

Yesterday I eat rice

Therefore a language teacher needs to be aware of the linguistic differences. Be that as it may let’s Get Back to basics.

Activity 1

What is the past tense (Verb 2) of these verbs:

eat / drink / do / play / see / go

Activity 2

help / visit / work / ride / talk

Activity 3

‘to be’:

I am / I was

you are / you were

he is / he was

she is / she was

Let’s use past tense (verb 2) with an adjective

Tell me what is the sentence if we use verb 2

EXAMPLE: I am happy. = I was happy.

NOW … YOUR TURN

You are sad = You ______ sad.

He is tired = He _______ tired.

She is funny = She _______ funny.

I am shy = I ______ shy.

He is small = He ______ small.

She is big = She _____ big.

You are young = You ______ young.

Activity 4

What did you do today ? 

Each student takes a turn. Use these photos to help you.

Extra practice:

buy / drink / surf the internet / help parents / cook / do homework / wake up

Present tense ——– Past tense

act —— acted

go —- went

learn —— learned OR learnt

play — played

read —– read (pronounced ‘red)

ride —— rode

sleep —– slept

watch —- watched (pronounced ‘watch -t‘)

win —- won

What is the past tense (Verb 2) ?

I act in a film. Last week I ______ in a film.

I go to London. Last year I _______________ to London.

I ride an elephant. Last month I ___________ an elephant.

I learn English. Last Saturday, we ___________ English with Mr Paul.

The monkey plays piano.

Last night, the monkey _________ piano.

She reads a book. Last Sunday she _____ a book.

He sleeps all day. Yesterday he _______ all day.

I watch the amazing Spiderman.

Last week I ______ the amazing Spiderman.

Put these verbs into the past tense, then complete the sentences:

want ———

take ———

decide ———

see ——–

buy ——–

think ——–

learn ——–

I —— to stay in bed this morning

She —– great photos with her new iPhoneX

We have (decide) —— to go to Thailand for Tet 

Last night I —- a great film !

He (buy) —- food for Christmas.

Tuesday ! I (think) —— today was Wednesday

We (learn) —– about past simple in our lesson.

More exercises can be found on this omnibus blog: https://thaypaulsnotes.com/2020/10/21/past-tense-various-exercises-2/

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