Past simple: Did you…? I didn’t…

  • A2 · Elementary
  • Grammar lesson
  • 60 min
  • did and didn't

Questions and negatives in the past simple: did and didn't + the base verb (Did you see the cake? I didn't eat it.), short answers, and how to choose do, does or did. From a voice message about a birthday cake that vanished from the office fridge an hour before the party to questioning the suspects and solving the mystery.

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Did you…?didn'tYes, I did.

What's in the lesson

  1. 1Warm-up
  2. 2In this lesson
  3. 3Listen: Zeynep's voice messageListening comprehension
  4. 4What does it mean?Grammar exercise
  5. 5Find the verb after didGrammar exercise
  6. 6do, does or did?Grammar rule
  7. 7do, does or did?Grammar exercise
  8. 8Questions and short answersGrammar exercise
  9. 9The first dayGrammar exercise
  10. 10Find the mistakeGrammar exercise
  11. 11Questions for your teacherGrammar exercise
  12. 12Say it naturallySpeaking practice
  13. 13The cake mysterySpeaking practice
  14. 14About youGrammar exercise
  15. 15Wrap-up

Homework

  1. 1Homework: questions about a tripGrammar exercise
  2. 2Homework: present or past?Grammar exercise
  3. 3Homework: an interview with a singerGrammar exercise
  4. 4Homework: an interview about the pastDiscussion

Two slides from the lesson

Warm-up

A few questions about you before we start.

  1. When did you last eat birthday cake? Whose birthday was it?
  2. Is there a fridge at your work or school? What do people keep in it?
  3. Did you bring your lunch from home yesterday, or did you buy it?

Grammar rule

do, does or did?

Present simplePast simple
NegativeI don't drive. She doesn't drive.I didn't drive. She didn't drive.
Yes/no questionDo you drive? Does he drive?Did you drive? Did he drive?
Short answerYes, I do. / No, he doesn't.Yes, I did. / No, he didn't.
Wh- questionWhat time do you leave?What time did you leave?
  • did and didn't are the same for every person: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, my sister, the kids.
  • After did and didn't, use the base verb: She didn't drive. (not didn't drove) Did they win? (not Did they won?)
  • Word order: (where / what / when…) + did + person + verb: Where did you park?
  • didn't = did not. In speaking, we usually say didn't.
  • Time words for the past: yesterday, last night, last Friday, two days ago, in 2019.
was and were make questions and negatives on their own, with no did: Were you tired? It wasn't easy. (not Did you were tired?)
have in the past works like other verbs: Did you have a good time? I didn't have time.

Teach it live with video and a whiteboard, or print it: the PDF has every slide, the homework and the answers.

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← Unit 1Went, saw, took