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Past Simple (regular and irregular verbs) – Test 1

A2 Elementary GrammarEnglish

This A2 grammar test checks the past simple with regular and irregular verbs, including spelling, negatives, questions and short answers. It is for learners who know the basic forms and want to use them correctly in sentences and short stories. The final part asks learners to complete a short narrative text.

Questions
30
Time
30 min
PDF
4 pages
Answer key
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Part 1: Regular and irregular forms

Choose the correct past simple form to complete each sentence.

  1. Yesterday Maria _____ her grandmother on the phone.

  2. We _____ to the beach last summer.

  3. Tom _____ a big sandwich for lunch.

  4. Last week she _____ in the city centre with her friends.

  5. The children _____ their homework before dinner.

  6. I _____ my keys this morning, but then I found them in my bag.

  7. Choose the correct past simple form of 'study'.

  8. Ahmed _____ a new jacket at the market on Saturday.

  9. Our train _____ at 7:15 and arrived at 9:00.

  10. Choose the correct sentence.

Part 2: Negatives, questions and short answers

Choose the correct answer to complete each sentence, question or dialogue.

  1. I _____ the film last night. It was boring.

  2. _____ you see Kenji at the party last Friday?

  3. Where _____ last weekend?

  4. Lena _____ breakfast this morning because she was late.

  5. Find the mistake: Last Monday we stayed at home because it snowed and the buses didn't came.

  6. A: Did you finish the report? B: _____

  7. Choose the correct question.

  8. Who _____ the window? – Sam did.

  9. My parents _____ at home yesterday. They were at work.

  10. _____ the weather nice on your holiday?

Part 3: Past simple in a story

Read the story. Then choose the correct word for each numbered gap (21–30).

Last Saturday, Priya and her brother Daniel (21) ___ to visit a small village in the mountains. They (22) ___ up very early and caught the bus at six o'clock. The journey (23) ___ three hours, so Priya read a book and Daniel slept.

When they arrived, it (24) ___ cold and windy. They (25) ___ a map at the tourist office and walked to a lake. Daniel (26) ___ his hands in the water, but it was very cold! At lunchtime they ate soup in a little café. Unfortunately, Priya (27) ___ her umbrella at home, and in the afternoon it started to rain.

They (28) ___ stay long after that. They (29) ___ back to the bus stop and caught the last bus home. 'Did you enjoy the day?' their mum asked. 'Yes, we (30) ___,' said Priya. 'But next time I'll bring my umbrella!'

  1. (21) Last Saturday, Priya and her brother Daniel _____ to visit a small village in the mountains.

  2. (22) They _____ up very early and caught the bus at six o'clock.

  3. (23) The journey _____ three hours, so Priya read a book and Daniel slept.

  4. (24) When they arrived, it _____ cold and windy.

  5. (25) They _____ a map at the tourist office and walked to a lake.

  6. (26) Daniel _____ his hands in the water, but it was very cold!

  7. (27) Unfortunately, Priya _____ her umbrella at home.

  8. (28) They _____ stay long after that.

  9. (29) They _____ back to the bus stop and caught the last bus home.

  10. (30) 'Did you enjoy the day?' their mum asked. 'Yes, we _____,' said Priya.

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About this test

This A2 grammar test checks the past simple with regular and irregular verbs, including spelling, negatives, questions and short answers. It is for learners who know the basic forms and want to use them correctly in sentences and short stories. The final part asks learners to complete a short narrative text.

Topics covered

Past simple regular verbsIrregular verbsSpelling of -ed endingsNegative sentences with didn'tQuestions with didShort answersPast of be: was/were

How to use this test

  1. Download the PDF and print it, or take the test online below.
  2. Answer every question without a dictionary or time pressure.
  3. Check your answers and note the topics you need to review.

Notes for teachers

Use this test after teaching regular and irregular past simple forms, or as a diagnostic at the start of a unit. It targets common A2 errors such as 'didn't went', 'did you went', over-regularised forms like 'buyed' or 'goed', and confusion between was/were and did. Go through the error-spotting and question-forming items in class, then ask learners to write five sentences about their own last weekend using at least three irregular verbs.