Past Tense Exercises with Answers

The past tense is a cornerstone of English grammar, allowing us to paint vivid pictures of events, experiences, and stories that have already unfolded. Whether you’re describing a memorable vacation, recounting historical events, or crafting a compelling narrative, the past tense is your essential tool. But mastering this grammatical tense can be tricky, especially with the quirks of irregular verbs and the nuances of different past tense forms. That’s why we’ve created this comprehensive guide with past tense exercises and answers, designed to solidify your understanding and boost your confidence in using the past tense effectively.

Let’s dive in and unlock the power of the past!

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Past Tense Exercises with Answers

Once you have gained all the basic knowledge on past tense, it is time to test yourself with the help of the below exercises, which we have prepared for you. You will also be able to check your answers in the end.

Exercise 1: Regular Verbs

Instructions: Complete the sentences with the past tense of the regular verbs in parentheses:

1. She _______ (walk) to school yesterday.
2. They _______ (play) basketball in the gym.
3. He _______ (watch) a movie last night.
4. We _______ (cook) dinner together.
5. The cat _______ (sleep) on the couch.

Answers:

1. Walked
2. Played
3. Watched
4. Cooked
5. Slept

Exercise 2: Irregular Verbs

Instructions: Choose the correct past tense form of the irregular verbs to complete the sentences:

1. I _______ (go) to the library this morning. a) goed b) went c) gone
2. She _______ (eat) a sandwich for lunch. a) eated b) ate c) eaten
3. They _______ (see) a bird in the tree. a) seed b) saw c) seen
4. He _______ (drink) a glass of water. a) drinked b) drank c) drunk
5. We _______ (have) a great time at the party. a) haved b) had c) haven

Answers:

1. b) Went
2. b) Ate
3. b) Saw
4. b) Drank
5. b) Had

Exercise 3: Past Tense in Sentences

Instructions: Write a sentence using the past tense for each of the following prompts:

1. What did you do last weekend?
2. Describe a historical event.
3. Tell a story about a funny incident.

Possible Answers:

1. I went to the beach with my friends last weekend.
2. The Berlin Wall fell in 1989.
3. Yesterday, I tripped and fell while walking down the street, and everyone laughed.

Exercise 4: Past Simple vs Present Perfect

Instructions: Choose the correct tense (past simple or present perfect) to complete the sentence given below.

1. I _______ (visit) my grandparents last week.
2. She _______ (live) in London for five years.
3. They _______ (travel) to many different countries.
4. He _______ (finish) his homework an hour ago.
5. We _______ (learn) a lot in this class.

Answers:

1. visited (past simple)
2. has lived (present perfect)
3. have traveled (present perfect)
4. finished (past simple)
5. have learned (present perfect)

Exercise 5: Irregular Past Participles

Instructions: Complete the sentences with the correct past participle:

1. She has _______ (break) her leg.
2. The car was _______ (steal) from the parking lot.
3. They have _______ (build) a new house.
4. The letter was _______ (write) by my grandfather.
5. He has _______ (forget) his keys.

Answers:

1. broken
2. stolen
3. built
4. written
5. forgotten

Bonus Past Tense Practice Exercises for Board Exams

Here we have compiled another bonus past tense practice exercises, which will be quite helpful for you. You will  find answers to all the questions in the end.

Bonus Exercise 1: Past Tense Paragraph

Write a short paragraph in the past tense about your favorite childhood memory.

Possible Answer:

When I was seven years old, my family took a trip to the beach. We built sandcastles, swam in the ocean, and collected seashells. I remember finding a beautiful, spiral-shaped shell that I kept for years. In the evenings, we roasted marshmallows over a bonfire and told stories. It was a magical experience that I’ll never forget.

Bonus Exercise 2: Past Tense with “Used to”

Complete the sentences with the correct form of “used to” and the verb in parentheses:

1. I _______ (play) the piano when I was younger.
2. She _______ (not like) vegetables, but now she loves them.
3. _______ (they / live) in a different city?
4. He _______ (go) to the gym every day, but now he doesn’t have time.
5. _______ (you / have) a pet?

Answers:

1. used to play
2. didn’t use to like
3. Did they use to live
4. used to go
5. Did you use to have

Bonus Exercise 3: Past Tense in a Dialogue

Fill in the blanks with the correct past tense forms of the verbs in parentheses to complete the dialogue:

A: Hi, how was your weekend? B: It _______ (be) great! I _______ (go) to a concert on Friday night. A: Oh, cool! Who _______ (play)? B: It _______ (be) a local band called “The Rhythm.” They _______ (be) amazing! A: I _______ (not hear) of them. What kind of music do they play? B: They play indie rock. I _______ (think) you would like them.

Answers:

A: Hi, how was your weekend? B: It was great! I went to a concert on Friday night. A: Oh, cool! Who played? B: It was a local band called “The Rhythm.” They were amazing! A: I haven’t heard of them. What kind of music do they play? B: They play indie rock. I thought you would like them.

Also Read: Past Tense and Present Tense Exercise

What is Past Tense?

The past tense allows us to talk about actions or states that occurred before the present moment. It’s how we make sense of the past, learn from it, and share it with others. Imagine trying to tell a story without the past tense – it would be like a movie stuck on a single frame!

From everyday conversations to academic writing, the past tense is indispensable. It enables us to:

• Share experiences: “I went to a concert last night.”
• Describe events: “The Titanic sank in 1912.”
• Tell stories: “Once upon a time, there was a princess…”
• Understand history: “World War II ended in 1945.

Read more about Past Tense from here!

Why is Past Tense Important?

The past tense is essential for effective communication and understanding in English. It allows us to:

• Talk about events that already happened: “I ate breakfast this morning,” or “She went to the store yesterday.”
• Tell stories: Imagine a story without the past tense! It would be very confusing.
• Understand history: We use the past tense to learn about what happened before we were born.
• Express ourselves: The past tense helps us talk about our experiences, memories, and feelings.

Without the past tense, we couldn’t make sense of time or learn from our experiences. It’s a vital part of how we communicate and understand the world around us.

Related reads on Tenses below:

Future Continuous Tense Adverbs	Tenses Tests You Should Have to Test Yourself!
Tenses Quiz With Answers	Present Unreal Conditional Tense Examples
Simple Future Tense Examples	Future Unreal Conditional Examples

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