Past Simple

We usually form the past simple by adding -d or-ed to the verb.

save- saved launch - launched export – exported

About 150 irregular verbs form the past simple differently.

cost - cost be - was - were grow - grew

spend - spent give - gave go - went

We use the simple past to talk or write about:

• a single action that started and ended in the past: They started Google in 1998.

• a repeated action or habit in the past: They worked in their rooms every day.

• a state, situation, or feeling in the past: They didn’t get along.

C. Complete this sales report. Use the past simple of the verbs in brackets.

Report on sales trip - South Korea

Last December, I ___________ (visit) our major customers from big department stores in South Korea.

On 5th December, I _______ 2 (meet) Mrs. Kyoung Ai Lee in Seoul. We ________3 (send) her 200 brochures in June.

On 6th December, I _________ 4 (make) a presentation to Mrs Lee's sales staff on our products and ________5 (advise) them how to display hem.

The following day I __________ 6 (go) to Seoul, and our agent_________7 (introduce) me to Mrs Ha, the chief buyer of a new department store in the capital.

She__________ 8 (ask) me to send her 500 brochures. I____________ 9 (give) her some samples of our products.

I_________10 (fly) back to head office in Paris on the 9th.

D. Complete the article with the simple past form of the verbs in parentheses.

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield _________ (grow up) (1) in Merrick, Long Island. They

_________(2) (meet) in middle school, and they__________(3) (graduate) from high school together. Their connections to ice cream ____________ (begin) (4) at an early age.

Ben _____________ (5) (drive) an ice cream truck in high school. Jerry __________ (6) (work) in his college cafeteria as an ice cream scooper.

Ben ____________ (try) (7) different colleges, but he __________(8) (not graduate).

At one time, he_____________(teach) (9) crafts in a school. At the school, he sometimes ________ (10) (make) ice cream with his students.

. Jerry ____________(11 (want) to be a doctor. After he____________(12) (graduate) from college, he _________ (apply) (13) to medical school, but he was not successful. During those years, Ben and Jerry ________________(14) (stay) friends.

After a few years, Ben and Jerry _______________ (15) (go) into the food business together. At first, they_________________(16) (think) about making bagels, but the equipment was expensive. So they ______________(17) (choose) ice cream and _____________(18) (take) a $5 class on ice-cream making.

Ben and Jerry ______________ (19) (see) an opportunity in Burlington, Vermont. This college town ______________ (20) (not have) an ice cream shop. They ____________(22) (find) an old gas station, and in 1978 they ____________ (21) (open) the first Ben & Jerry’s store.

Ben & Jerry’s quickly____________ (23) (become) popular because it ____________ (24) (have) great ice cream and a caring approach to the community. On their first anniversary, they ___________ (25) (give) everyone free ice cream as a “thank you.” They still give away free ice cream every year on their anniversary.