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GRAMMAR

LESSON 24:

Simple Past Tense 4

Goal

I can use simple past yes/no questions.

Grammar Point

Read the grammar point with your tutor.

Use simple past yes/no questions to ask closed questions* about the past.

*closed questions usually require simple yes/no answers

  • For be-verb sentences, switch the subject-verb order.

BE-VERB SENTENCE

BE-VERB QUESTION

You were happy.

Were you happy?

He was at the party.

Was he at the party?

They were students.

Were they students?

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ex

Were you okay?

ex

Was it sunny?

ex

Were they sleepy?

  • For do-verb sentences, add did before the subject and change the original do-verb to its dictionary form.

DO-VERB SENTENCE

DO-VERB QUESTION

You lived in New York.

Did you live in New York?

He took the train.

Did he take the train?

She had a dog.

Did she have a dog?

They studied English.

Did they study English?

swipe to see full chart
ex

Did you watch TV?

ex

Did he have fun?

ex

Did she talk a lot?

ex

Did they drink alcohol?

  • Use short phrases to positively answer yes/no questions.

POSITIVE ANSWERS

Yes, I was.

Yes, you were.

Yes, he was.

Yes, she was.

Yes, it was.

Yes, we were.

Yes, they were.

POSITIVE ANSWERS

Yes, I did.

Yes, you did.

Yes, he did.

Yes, she did.

Yes, it did.

Yes, we did.

Yes, they did.

ex

Q: Were you okay?
A: Yes, I was.

ex

Q: Was it sunny?
A: Yes, it was.

ex

Q: Were they sleepy?
A: Yes, they were.

ex

Q: Did you watch TV?
A: Yes, I did.

ex

Q: Did he have fun?
A: Yes, he did.

ex

Q: Did they drink alcohol?
A: Yes, they did.

  • Use short phrases to negatively answer yes/no questions too.

NEGATIVE ANSWERS

No, I wasn’t.

No, you weren’t.

No, he wasn’t.

No, she wasn’t.

No, it wasn’t.

No, we weren’t.

No, they weren’t.

NEGATIVE ANSWERS

No, I didn’t.

No, you didn’t.

No, he didn’t.

No, she didn’t.

No, it didn’t.

No, we didn’t.

No, they didn’t.

ex

Q: Were you okay?
A: No, I wasn’t.

ex

Q: Was it sunny?
A: No, it wasn’t.

ex

Q: Were they sleepy?
A:
No, they weren’t.

ex

Q: Did you watch TV?
A: No, I didn’t.

ex

Q: Did he have fun?
A: No, he didn’t.

ex

Q: Did they drink alcohol?
A: No, they didn’t.

Sentence Builder

Build new sentences using the grammar point, the original sentences, and the words in parentheses. The form of some words may need to be changed.
Build new sentences using the grammar point, the original sentences, and the words in parentheses. The form of some words may need to be changed.
ex

Were you okay?

(he)
   Was he okay   ?
  • Did you live in the US?

(they)
                            ?
  • Was she at school yesterday?

(you)
                            ?
  • Were we late?

(I)
                            ?
  • Yes, he was.

(they)
                            .
  • Did he have a pet?

(study Spanish)
                            ?
  • Was it good?

(the cookies)
                            ?
  • Did they have a party?

(you)
                            ?
  • No, I wasn’t.

(yes)
                            .
  • Did you eat breakfast?

(go to Europe)
                            ?
  • Yes, I did.

(no)
                            .

Practice

Make new sentences using the grammar point. Change the statements into questions.

ex

You had fun.

Did you have fun?
ex

You had fun.

Did you have fun?
  • They went to Hawaii.

  • It was cold.

  • Eric studied German.

  • The cookies were good.

  • Amanda lived in New Zealand.

  • Your school was big.

  • You took a vacation.

  • We were late.

  • Becky talked a lot.

  • The movie was interesting.

Q&A

PART 1
Answer the questions using the grammar point and your own information.
  • Were you sleepy this morning?
  • Did you go shopping last week?
  • Was it cold this morning?
  • Did you have a birthday party last year?
  • When you were a child, were you shy?
PART 2
Use the grammar point to ask your tutor some questions. You can use the ideas below or your own ideas.
you / take a vacation / last year
it / be hot / yesterday
you / study Japanese / in school
you / be tired / last night
you / live in Manila / last year
your high school / be big