Activity 1.

2 -- VERB TO BE – PAST SIMPLE

TEACHER’S NOTES
VERB TO BE, PAST SIMPLE

ACTIVITY
Individual work: grammar, writing

AIM
To read and write using past simple of verb to be appropriately.

GRAMMAR AND FUNCTIONS

To be

VOCABULARY
Past time expressions

PREPARATION
Hand out material 1.1 “Verb to be – Past Simple” to students.

TIME
10 minutes

PROCEDURE
1. Ask students to work alone. Give each student a copy of “Verb to be – Past Simple!”

2. Ask them to answer item 1 and 2. Set 5 minutes as time for them to complete the
first set of exercises.

3. Correct as a class. Check and answer questions if necessary.

4. Ask them to answer item 3. Set 5 minutes as time for them to complete the third set
of exercises.

5. Correct as a class. Check and answer questions if necessary.

6. Now ask the class to tell you at least four time expressions in the past; for example:
last night. Write these expressions on board

7. When finished, ask students to write 1 affirmative sentence using was/were, 1

negative sentence, and 1 interrogative sentence. They can choose any word from
the board.

8. Feedback on sentences.
 ACTIVITY 1.2 -- VERB TO BE – PAST SIMPLE/PRESENT SIMPLE PRACTICE

I Look at the pictures and answer the question: Where were these people at 3 o’clock
yesterday after noon?

1. Example: George was in bed.

2. Carol and Jack …………………………………………….
3. Sue ………………………………………………………….
4. ……………………………………………………………….
5. ……………………………………………………………….
6. And you? I ………………………………………………….

II Complete the sentences with am/is/are/was/were. Some of them are in present and
some in the past.

1. Last year she was 22, so she is 23 now.

2. Today the weather ................. nice, but yesterday it ................. cold.
3. I ................. hungry. Can I have something to eat?
4. I ................. hungry last night, so I had something to eat.
5. Where ................. you at 11 o'clock last Friday morning?
6. Don't buy those shoes. They ................. too expensive.
7. Why ................. you so angry yesterday?
8. We must go now. It ................. very late.
9. This time last year I ................. in Paris.
10. We ................. tired when we arrived home, so we went to bed.
11. Charlie Chaplin died in 1978. He ................. a famous film star.
12. 'Where ................. the children?' 'I don't know. They ................. in the garden ten
minutes ago.

III Complete the sentences with was/wasn't/were/weren't.

1. We didn't like our hotel room. It was very small and it wasn't very clean.
2. Kate got married when she ................. 24 years old.
3. I phoned you yesterday evening but you ................. at home. Where .................
you?
4. George ................. at work last week because he ................. ill. He's better now.
5. The store ................. open yesterday because it ................. a public holiday.
6. '................. you at home at 9.30?' 'No, I .................. I ................. at work.'
 VERB TO BE – PAST SIMPLE/PRESENT SIMPLE PRACTICE
ANSWER SHEET

I Look at the pictures and answer the question: Where were these people at 3 o’clock
yesterday after noon?

1. Example: George was in bed.

2. Carol and Jack were at (in) the cinema
3. Sue was at the station
4. Mr and Mrs Baker were at (in) a restaurant.
5. Ben was on the beach.
6. And you? I (optional answer)

II Complete the sentences with am/is/are/was/were. Some of them are in present and
some in the past.

1. Last year she was 22, so she is 23 now.

2. Today the weather is nice, but yesterday it was cold.
3. I am hungry. Can I have something to eat?
4. I was hungry last night, so I had something to eat.
5. Where were you at 11 o'clock last Friday morning?
6. Don't buy those shoes. They are too expensive.
7. Why were you so angry yesterday?
8. We must go now. It is very late.
9. This time last year I was in Paris.
10. We were tired when we arrived home, so we went to bed.
11. Charlie Chaplin died in 1978. He was a famous film star.
12. 'Where are the children?' 'I don't know. They were in the garden ten minutes ago.

III Complete the sentences with was/wasn't/were/weren't.

1. We didn't like our hotel room. It was very small and it wasn't very clean.
2. Kate got married when she was 24 years old.
3. I phoned you yesterday evening but you weren’t at home. Where were you?
4. George wasn’t at work last week because he was ill. He's better now.
5. The store wasn’t open yesterday because it was a public holiday.
6. 'Were you at home at 9.30?' 'No, I wasn’t I was at work.'