Past simple: did and didn't

Objective & content

This grammar sheet teaches negatives and questions in the past simple with did: didn't + verb (I didn't go out), questions (Did you swim in the sea?), short answers (Yes, I did. No, he didn't.) and questions with Where, What, Who and What time. Pupils read a conversation in which Arjun and Tilly talk about their weekend on Monday morning, find the missing words and read the rule, given in a box. By the end, they can ask a friend about last weekend and say what they didn't do.

Pedagogical guide

Page 1 is the conversation, with a picture of Arjun and of Tilly: Arjun went to the beach in Brighton but didn't swim, as the water was really cold; Tilly didn't go out on Saturday, scored a goal in a football match on Sunday and didn't do her maths homework. Pupils find eight missing words in sentences from the conversation. Page 2 has the rule, given in a box in short lines (it includes didn't go, NOT didn't went), eight sentences where pupils tick the right word (did or do, the verb or its past form), five wrong sentences about the conversation to make negative, so that each one becomes true, and five questions to answer with short answers. Page 3 has four sentences to turn into questions and three question words to choose. The last task is "Find someone who": pupils write the question for each of eight cards (ate pizza yesterday becomes Did you eat pizza yesterday?), then ask their classmates and write a name on each card. Every exercise opens with a worked example, except the survey cards. The answer key accepts both contracted and full forms (didn't or did not).

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Ask a few pupils "Did you watch TV last night?" and write the question and the short answers on the board.
2. (10 min) Read the conversation aloud; pupils find the missing words.
3. (5 min) Read the rule in the box with the class; pupils find examples of it in the conversation.
4. (10 min) Page 2: pupils tick the right words, make the sentences negative and give short answers.
5. (5 min) Page 3: pupils make questions, then choose the question words.
6. (10 min) "Find someone who": pupils write the questions, then walk around the class and ask them.
7. (5 min) Check with the answer key on page 4.

Adaptations

[S] Pupils read the conversation aloud in pairs, one as Arjun and one as Tilly, before the tasks.

[A] Pupils write four sentences about their classmates from the cards, two of them with didn't.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of pages 1 to 3 per pupil. Page 4 is the answer key and teacher notes: keep it. Pupils need the past simple of regular and common irregular verbs (went, ate, saw) and questions with do and does in the present simple. To take it further, pupils interview a partner about last summer and report to the class.