SIMPLE PAST TENSE

A. Summary
Simple past tense is used when we are talking about something that already
happened. The time signal usually used in this case is yesterday, .. ago, last…, that time,
just now, and etc.
1. Structure of sentence
a. Verb
% Positive (+) :
Subject + Verb II

Subject Verb II (Past) Object

I wrote a story
You bought a shirt
We cleaned the room
They played tennis
He went to school
She gave a present
It swam very fast

% Negative (-)
Subject + did not + verb I

Subject did not Verb I Object

I write a story
You buy a shirt
We clean the room
They didn’t play tennis
He goes to school
She gives a present
It swims very fast

% Interrogative (?)
Did + subject + Verb I ?

Did Subject Verb I Object

I write a story
You buy a shirt
We clean the room
Did They play tennis
He goes to school
She gives a present
It swims very fast
b. Using to be
% Positive
Subject + To be + Complement
Subject To be Complement
I was young
You were here
They were happy
We were bored
He/She/It was a baby
% Negative
Subject + To be + not + Complement
Subject To be Complement
I wasn’t young
You weren’t here
They weren’t happy
We weren’t bored
He/She/It wasn’t a baby
% Introgative
To be + Subject + Complement ?
To be Subject Complement
was I young ?
were You here ?
were They happy ?
were We bored ?
was He/She/It a baby ?

2. Vocabulary
% Regular Verb
In the end of the word adds –ed
i.e
deliver-delivered answer-answered
learn-learned push-pushed
cook-cooked touch-touched
study-studied agree-agreed
finish-finished invite-invited
fish-fished clean-cleaned
play-played wash-washed
walk-walked borrow-borrowed
live-lived act-acted
talk-talked bake-baked
 % Irregular Verb
Verb that isn’t added with –ed,
i.e

be – was/were make – made

become – became meet – met
begin – began pay – paid
break – broke read – read
bring – brought ride – rode
build – built run – run
buy – bought say – said
catch – caught sell – sold
choose – chose send – sent
come – came shut – shut

3. Contoh Soal

Snow White
Once upon a time there lived a little girl named Snow White. She lived with
her aunt and uncle because her parents were dead.
One day she heard her uncle and aunt talking about leaving Snow White in the
castle because they both wanted to go to America and they didn’t have enough
money to take Snow White.
Snow White didn’t want her uncle and aunt to do that so she decided that it
would be best if she ran away. The next morning she ran away into the woods.
She was very tired and hungry. Then she saw a little cottage. She knocked but no
one answered so she went inside and fell asleep.
Meanwhile, the seven dwarfs were coming home from work. There they found
Snow White sleeping. Then Snow White woke up. She saw the dwarfs.
The dwarfs said, “What is your name?”
Snow White said, “My name is Snow White.”
Then, Snow White told the dwarfs the whole story.
The dwarfs said, “If you want, you may live here with us.”
Snow White answered, “Oh, could I? Thank you.”
Finally, Snow White and the seven dwarfs lived happily ever after.
1. Why did Snow White live with her aunt and uncle?
a. Because her parents dumped her in the forest
b. Because her parents have gone
c. Because she found a nice house with her aunt and uncle
d. Because she was lost, while playing outside
e. Because her aunt and uncle was nice
The answer :
The answer is B. her parents have gone, According to the text, “She lived with
her aunt and uncle because her parents were dead.” (Paragraph 1, line 2) . Dead
has similar meaning with gone.
4. Exercise
Once upon a time there (1)_____ four little rabbits. Their names were Flopsy,
Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter. One morning they were (2)_____ to play outside. Their
mother reminded them not to go to Mr. McGregor’s garden because their father had
an accident there.

Flopsy, Mopsy, and Cotton-tail were good little rabbits. They went down the
lane to (3)____ blackberries. But Peter was naughty. He ran straight away to Mr.
McGregor’s garden. He (4)____ some lettuces, French beans, and radishes. Suddenly,
he met Mr. McGregor. Peter was very frightened and rushed away as fast as he could.
He lost a pair of shoes and a jacket while he was running. Peter never stopped running
or looked behind him till he got home. During the evening, he was sick because he
was so tired. He had to drink some medicine while three of his brother had bread,
mild and blackberries for supper.

1. a. was
b.were
c.is
d.are
e.am
2. a. going to
b. went to
c.allowed
d.allowed by
e.allows
3. a. pick
b.picks
c.picked
d.picking
e.has picked
 4. a. eat
b.ate
c.eaten
d.eatens
e. eating
5. What is the antonym of the word “Stopped” paragraph 2?
a. run
b.runaway
c.go ahead
d.go on
e.go through

The answer :

1. B. Were , because it is supposed to be filled by to be (was/were), and since the

object is plural (four rabbit).
2. C. Allowed , because the case passive voice after to be is participle (V3)
3. A.Pick , because after to use infinitive (V1)
4. B. Ate , because after subject we use V2
5. D.Go on, because stop means not continuing any movement, while go on means
keep moving.