Beginners’ exercise: past simple tense questions

English grammar exercise, beginner / elementary level.

In this exercise you will practise forming questions in the past simple tense.


questions go herescore goes here

Structure of past simple
positive negative question
I arrived yesterday.
You arrived yesterday.
He/she/it arrived.
We arrived.
They arrived.
I didn't (did not) arrive.
You didn't (did not) arrive.
He/she/it didn't arrive.
We didn't arrive.
They didn't arrive.
Did I arrive yesterday?
Did you arrive?
Did he/she/it arrive?
Did we arrive?
Did they arrive?


Past simple - common mistakes
Common mistakes Correct version Why?
I was work in London. I worked in London. In positive sentences, a helping verb such as 'was' or 'did' is not used.
He worked in London? Did he work in London? The helping verb 'did' is used in past simple questions.
Worked he in London? Did he work in London? The helping verb 'did' is used in past simple questions.
Did he wrote a letter? Did he write a letter? The main verb is used in the infinitive form in questions and negatives.
He didn't wrote a letter. He didn't write a letter. The main verb is used in the infinitive form in questions and negatives.