Past Simple by Jorge Romero

Grammar to go!

Past simple I played; he made

1 Two examples of the past simple:

I went to London with two friends last summer. We stayed in a hotel near Hyde Park.

2 To make the positive form of the past simple we add -ed to regular verbs: POSITIVE

3 But many common verbs have irregular past simple forms. Look at these examples:

buy/bought do/did find/found have/had lose/lost pay/paid see/saw speak/spoke win/won

catch/caught drink/drank forget/forgot know/knew make/made run/ran sell/sold spend/spent write/wrote

The verb be has two past forms: was and were. BE: POSITIVE Singular I/he/she/it was

Plural we/you/they were

Chris and I were in Scotland at the weekend, and it was very cold! © For a full list of irregular past participles, see p. 129.

4 We use the past simple for finished past actions:

Liz lived in Madrid for two years. She had a fantastic time there. (Liz doesn’t live in Madrid now.) When Mike was a child, he spent every summer holiday in Cornwall. (Mike isn’t a child now.)

FOCUS

WORD

past simple to talk about when things happened in the past: I lost my watch last week, but I found it in the bathroom this morning. Josie phoned about ten minutes ago.

in finished time periods, to talk about our past, to tell stories and to talk about history.

asked

break/broke come/came eat/ate go/went leave/left meet/met read/read send/sent take/took

5 We often use expressions for a finished time with the

6 We use the past simple to talk about recent actions

I/you he/she/it we/you/they

To take it easy means ‘to relax’, e.g. ‘I’m tired. I’m taking it easy today.’

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Oxford Living Grammar Elementary

Grammar in action 1 We use the past simple to talk about recent actions in finished time periods – things we did last week, at the weekend, yesterday or this morning: I went to Brighton last Sunday with Katie. We had a picnic on the beach. It was really nice.

2 We use the past simple to tell

people about our lives in the past: I studied music at college, and we started a band. We played at parties. We often describe holidays and trips: My brother travelled by bus from Brazil to Chile when he was a student. He spent a month in Santiago and met a lot of interesting people.

3 We use the past simple to tell true stories (lists of past actions) about ourselves, our families and friends: I heard a loud noise, so I went downstairs, and I saw a big black dog in the kitchen. We also tell fictional stories (children’s stories and novels): A long time ago, an old man lived with his beautiful young daughter in a small house.

Talking about things we did last week Tim and Greta meet at the photocopier at work. Make forms of the past simple. GRETA Did you have a good weekend, Tim? TIM Not bad, thanks. My brother and his wife arrived

wife/arrive) from Scotland on Friday evening, and (they/stay) with us until Sunday lunchtime.

(My brother and his 1

Past and perfect tenses

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Grammar to go! GRETA Really? What did you do? TIM Not much.

Oxford Living Grammar Elementary

(We/talk) a lot, of course, and 4 (we/see) a film on Saturday night. Then (we/eat) at that French restaurant, ‘Serge’s’. What about you? Did you have a good weekend? 5 6 GRETA Yes, (it/be) OK, thanks. (I/go) into 7 town on Saturday morning and (I/meet) Dave, and 8 9 (we/do) some shopping. Then 10 (we/watch) United in the afternoon. (They/lose) again, of 11 course. And on Sunday, (I/take) it easy. TIM Well, you need a rest now and again.

Telling people about a holiday In this email message, choose the right verb, and make forms of the past simple.

Hi Ed, Thanks for your message. I think you’re working too hard. You need a long holiday. Last year, Barry, 1 (have/be) the kids and I spent 0 (spend/live) four weeks in Cornwall. It 2 3 great! We (find/stay) a really nice little house near the sea. We (go/get) 4 5 for walks, and we (buy/make) food from the local farms. We (cook/clean) 6 dinner at home most nights, we (read/look) books instead of watching TV, and the 7 8 kids (run/play) games in the garden. It rained sometimes, of course, but we 9 10 (spend/enjoy) every day. I (take/watch) a few photos the day before we (leave/miss). I’ll send you them, and give you the address of the house! Best wishes, Stephanie

Telling true stories about our family come

My grandfather, Alfredo, borrowed £70 and went 0 to Egypt when he was twenty. 1 Arabic clothes. He spoke He wanted to make money. He studied Arabic. He 2 to the old men in the markets. He tea with them. When he was hungry, he 3 fish. Sometimes he washed dishes in restaurants. Then one day an old man 4 him to buy coffee. He travelled about, and bought all the coffee he could find 5 from farmers. He about £50. Then he waited. The following year, 1947, the 6 his coffee and made his first profit. price of coffee increased by 200%. So he 7 After that, he worked hard. He every morning at 6 a.m. He bought things 8 when they were cheap, and he sold them if they expensive! Sometimes he 9 10 money, of course, but in the end he became very rich. In 1955, he 11 in Egypt for my grandmother, the daughter of an Egyptian farmer. He another 15 years. Then he returned to Italy with my grandmother and a baby son, my 12 father. He built a factory in Naples. But his son, Davide, to England, where I was born.

Past and perfect tenses

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WORD

wake stay wear lose tell go marry sell spend catch become drink

Before you begin, make sure you know the meaning of these three business words: to borrow, a profit, and a factory.

FOCUS

Graham is writing about his Italian grandfather. Add these verbs in the past simple form:

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Grammar to go!

Oxford Living Grammar Elementary

Past simple We didn’t go; did they see?

Did you see Stella yesterday? ~ No, she didn’t come to college.

8 We make the negative form of the past simple like this: subject + did not/didn’t + verb

We must use did/didn’t/Did…? with the verb do too: Did they do their homework? ~ Yes, but they didn’t do the dishes.

TIP

7 Look at this dialogue:

10 With be, we don’t use did not/didn’t or Did…?:

I didn’t go to the game.

BE: NEGATIVE

NEGATIVE

Singular I/you/he/she/it was not/wasn’t in the garden.

I/you he/she/it we/you/they

did not/didn’t wait

Plural

You/we/they were not/weren’t at home.

BE: QUESTIONS

9 We normally make the question form of the past simple like this:

Singular Was I/you/he/she/it late? Plural

YES/NO QUESTIONS Did + subject + verb Did I/you/he/she/it/we/you/they write to Tim?

Were you/we/they right?

Grammar in action 4 We use the past simple to talk about

QUESTIONS WITH QUESTION WORDS Question word + did + subject + verb When did I/you/he/she/it/we/you/they arrive?

When did Shakespeare die? (The answer is 1616.)

national and world history: Tony Blair was the British Prime Minister from 1997 to 2007. He won three general elections in 1997, 2001 and 2005.

D Sunday evening Maggie, Dave and Pete are students. Maggie is returning to their flat on Sunday evening. Use the words in brackets to make questions or negative forms. MAGGIE I’m back! Hi Dave. DAVE No, I’m tired today.

this afternoon.

MAGGIE No, PETE MAGGIE DAVE MAGGIE PETE MAGGIE PETE DAVE MAGGIE

Did you finish your essay

? (you/finish your essay) 1 (I/not do anything) 2 ? (you see Jenny) 3 . (she/not be at home)

But I met Joanna, the new American student, in town. 4 Oh. ? (she/be OK) 5 I think so, but (she/not talk very much). 6 (you/invite her to our party) next weekend? 7 Yes. I’m sure she’ll come. (What/you do all afternoon,) 8 Pete? (you/make a wonderful dinner) for us? No I didn’t, I’m afraid. But my parents arrived at two o’clock with a fantastic new TV for the flat. 9 Well, that’s kind of them. (When/they leave?) About an hour ago. Do you want a cup of coffee, Maggie? 10 Oh. (I/not get any milk this morning,) Pete. Black coffee is fine. What’s on TV?

Past and perfect tenses

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Grammar to go!

Oxford Living Grammar Elementary

Going on holiday John and Liz are driving to the airport for a two-week holiday. Put the words in brackets in the right order to make questions and negative forms of the past simple. Use capital letters to start your answers.

JOHN LIZ JOHN

LIZ JOHN LIZ

WORD

JOHN LIZ

0 Did you lock the front door, Liz (lock/you/the front door, Liz/did)? 0 Yes, definitely. But I didn’t make any sandwiches (make/I/any sandwiches/didn’t). 1 (forget/you/did)? 2 No, (didn’t/I/time/have). We’ll get something 3 at the airport. (your passport/under the bed/was)? 4 Yes. (Later) (you/email Sally/did)? Yes, last night. She’s going to feed the cat every day. 5 (a key/did/you/give her)? 6 Of course. But I forgot one thing. (didn’t/the windows upstairs/check/I). Oh dear. 7 (open/were/they)? No, I closed them. (Later) Are you going to work on holiday this time? 8 (my laptop/pack/no,/didn’t/I). Good. We both need a break.

FOCUS

JOHN LIZ

Put the correct verb next to the definitions: to check to feed to lock A to close with a key B to give food to an animal or a baby

C to look at something to see if it’s OK

An accident in the mountains of Iran Julie is telling Brad about her trip to Iran with two friends. Add these words to the conversation: broke stayed walk have carried was didn’t made arrived what fixed put

were

Hi Julie! Did you have 0 a good trip? What’s wrong with your leg? 1 JULIE I’ll tell you. We in Esfahan by train, but we 2 want to spend all our time in the city. 3 BRAD So did you do? JULIE We took a taxi one afternoon to the village of Hafeshjan 4 in the Zagros mountains. The local people 5 very friendly. We found a small hotel, and we the night there. 6 BRAD And hotel comfortable? JULIE Yes, the hotel wasn’t the problem. Next morning we started our walk in a forest outside the village. We didn’t 7 fast, because it was already hot. Soon we 8 saw some rocks and a cave. Then I a big mistake. I went into the cave. I couldn’t see anything, and 9 10 I my foot on a wet rock. I fell and 11 me back to the my leg. Jim and Daniel village. When we got to the hotel, they phoned for a taxi, 12 and they my leg in the hospital in Esfahan! BRAD

OVER TO YOU Now go to page 123. Past and perfect tenses

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Grammar to go!

Oxford Living Grammar Elementary

01 C

Unit Head -ing forms A Head

+ -ing With most verbs, we add -ing: -e + -ing With verbs that end with a consonant* + -e, we delete the -e and add -ing: -ie

-ING FORM

walk eat

walking eating

make come write

making coming writing

lie die tie

lying dying tying

sit run swim

sitting running swimming

play happen listen remember

playing happening listening remembering

-ying

With verbs that end with -ie, we change -ie to -ying:

-t

INFINITIVE

-tting

With verbs that end with one vowel* + one consonant (e.g. get, hit, stop), we double the consonant: + -ing But note that we do not double the consonant, 1) when it is y or w (e.g. play) 2) when the last syllable* is not stressed (e.g. reMEMber, VISit):

D Regular verbs: Past simple and past participle + -ed With most verbs we add -ed: + -d With verbs ending with -e, we add -d: -y -ied With verbs that end with one consonant* + -y, we change the y to -ied: -p -pped With verbs that end with one vowel* + one consonant (e.g. stop), we double the consonant: + -ed But note that we do not double the consonant, 1) when it is y or w (e.g. play) 2) when the last syllable* is not stressed (e.g. LISten, HAppen, Open): Note that in British English l is usually doubled, even if the syllable in unstressed (e.g. travel)

INFINITIVE

PAST SIMPLE

PAST PARTICIPLE

cook finish

cooked finished

live close

lived closed

study carry try

studied carried tried

stop plan

stopped planned

stay happen open visit cancel travel

stayed happened opened visited cancelled travelled

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Grammar to go!

Oxford Living Grammar Elementary

Irregular verbs: Past simple and past participle

INFINITIVE

PAST SIMPLE

PAST PARTICIPLE

INFINITIVE

PAST SIMPLE

PAST PARTICIPLE

was / were

been

lend

lent

become

became

become

let

begin

began

begun

lose

lost

break

broke

broken

make

made

bring

brought

meet

met

build

built

pay

paid

buy

bought

put

catch

caught

read

choose

chose

chosen

ring

rang

rung

come

came

come

run

ran

run

cost

say

said

cut

see

saw

seen

did

done

sell

sold

drink

drank

drunk

send

sent

drive

drove

driven

show

showed

shown / showed

eat

ate

eaten

shut

fall

fell

fallen

sing

sang

sung

feel

felt

sit

sat

find

found

sleep

slept

fly

flew

flown

speak

spoke

spoken

forget

forgot

forgotten

spell

spelt / spelled

get

got

spend

spent

give

gave

given

stand

stood

went

gone

steal

stole

stolen

grow

grew

grown

swim

swam

swum

have

had

take

took

taken

hear

heard

teach

taught

hide

hid

hidden

tell

told

hit

think

thought

hold

held

throw

threw

thrown

hurt

understand

understood

keep

kept

wake

woke

woken

know

knew

known

wear

wore

worn

learn

learnt/learned

win

won

leave

left

write

wrote

written

Form tables

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h and

bringing

nana split

3 4 5 6 7

What sort of food do you like? Where do you come from? Do you live near here? Do you work near here? Are you studying anything?

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Does the bus leave soon? When does it go? Are you waiting for the bus to Mumbai? Are you staying in New Delhi at the moment? What sort of work do you do there? Are you travelling around India? Do you want a cold drink? Where are you going?

Grammar to go! 1 Do you want a ticket?

Answers

Answers:

they stayed We talked we saw we ate

5 6 7 8

it was I went I met we did

9 we watched 10 They lost 11 I took

1 2 3 4

was found went bought

5 6 7 8

cooked read played enjoyed

9 took 10 left

1 2 3 4

wore drank caught told

5 6 7 8

spent sold woke became

9 10 11 12

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

lost married stayed came

Did you forget I didn’t have time Was your passport under the bed Did you email Sally Did you give her a key I didn’t check the windows upstairs Were they open No, I didn’t pack my laptop

1 2 3 4

arrived didn’t what were

5 6 7 8

stayed was walk made

1 were dancing 2 was eating 3 wasn’t / was not playing

8 1 no 2 5

3 2 4 A

9 1 take 2 do 3 well, grade

1 1 2 3 4

do term Bsc library

2 1 degree 2 do/write 3 do, PhD

4 leave, get 5 state, private

5 e 6 C 4 results 5 badly, failed 6 worst

9 10 11 12

5 A graduate 6 Unfortunately 7 after

put broke carried fixed

4 was working 5 was sleeping

1 Where were you going? 2 We were meeting an old friend. 3 Lorna was sleeping. 4 But she wasn’t / was not ringing from Moscow. © Oxford Press 2010 5 University What was Svetlana doing Photocopiable in London? 6 No, she wasn’t / was not working. 7 I think she was joking.

1 ’s sent 2 ’ve lived 3 ’s spent

vet shop a nurse old hasn’t

2 1 2 3 4 5 6

busine shop a hairdr secret police retired

3 1 2 3 4

a haird a pilot unemp the bo

Unit 45

4 fortunately 5 again 6 last

4 ’s travelled 5 have met 6 ’s done

1 1 2 3 4 5

4 Answers 1 I’m a s 2 My fri Georg 3 I don’t 4 My mo 5 I don’t 6 My fri 7 My fri 8 My fat dentis 9 My fat 10 Mr ka

08 Present perfect 11/12/08 15:38:18

7 ’s been 8 ’s made

1 1 2 3 4 5

hours a facto office work f does h

2 1 2 3 4

part a earn low

3 Answers 1 I’m a r 2 I work 3 I work to peo 4 I work hours

WOrd FOcus 1 crocodile 2 monkey 3 elephant 4 giraffe

1 The kids have seen 2 She’s taken 3 she’s lost 26 OSW(B) Answers FP.indd 215 4 He’s just been 5 I’ve done 6 I’ve written 7 I’ve spoken 8 vincent’s just paid 9 Josie and Stella have run

1 ’s broken 2 ’s left

4 ’s travelled 5 ’s won

lawye archite compu softwa psycho busine

Unit 44

3 Answers from a Greek person 1 Four years. E 2 1Two wasn’t / was not enjoying 4 were looking for or three years. 2 was travelling 5 was doing 3 About ten weeks. were twelve getting off 6 was helping 4 3About weeks. 5 yes, always. F 1 I ate / was eating 4 sat was sitting 4 1 2doctor ran was running5 economist 5 drove was driving 2 3engineer 6 politician walked was walking 6 rained was raining 3 architect 7 journalist 4 psychologist 8 businessman/manager

07 Past continuous A

7b 8d

Unit 43

A lock B feed C check

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

6 1 start 2 uniform 3 pupils, secondary

10 Answers from a Turkish person 1 They were 50 minutes. 2 yes. 3 when I was eleven years old. I was in a special school and I had to pass an exam to get into it. 4 I took one exam with many sections like Turkish language, maths, science, geography, history and general knowledge. 5 yes.

I didn’t do anything Did you see Jenny she wasn’t at home Was she OK she didn’t talk very much Did you invite her to our party What did you do all afternoon, Did you make a wonderful dinner When did they leave I didn’t get any milk this morning,

WOrd FOcus

Oxford Word Skills Basic

Oxford Living Grammar

1 2 3 4

5 1 c 2 h 3 g 4 i 9 f 10 j

7 Answers from a German person 1 Usually at the age of six, sometimes five. 2 we don’t have school uniforms in Germany. Answers: 3 At the age of ten. 4 It depends on the kind of school they are attending. The earliest is 15. 5 There are state schools and private schools. The majority of children go to state schools.

06 Past simple A

5 1 2 3 4 5 6

3 Your own answers

page 7 7 ’ve written