EXERCISES PAST TENSE

 Look at the following answers. Write the question that would prompt each specific response. Pay close attention to the irregular verbs!

1. Answer: No, I didn't go to the party last night.

2. Answer: I saw a documentary about space on TV.

3. Answer: They went to Paris for their honeymoon.

4. Answer: She bought that dress because it was on sale.

5. Answer: He came home at midnight.

6. Answer: I ate a sandwich for lunch.

7. Answer: We found the keys under the sofa.

8. Answer: My mother gave me this watch for my birthday.

9. Answer: Yes, he drank all the orange juice.

10. Answer: They wrote three letters to the manager.

The Rule: Subject vs. Object Questions

1. When to use "DID" (Object Questions)

We use did when the interrogative pronoun (Who, What, Which) is the Object of the verb. This means the Subject is someone or something else.

• Formula: Question Word + DID + Subject + Base Verb?

• Example: "Who did you see?"

  • Subject: You

  • Action: Saw someone

  • Who: The person you saw (the object).

2. When NOT to use "DID" (Subject Questions)

We do not use did when the interrogative pronoun is the Subject of the verb. The question word is the person or thing performing the action. In this case, we just use the Past Tense form of the verb.

• Formula: Question Word + Past Tense Verb?

• Example: "Who saw you?"

  • Subject: Who (someone performed the action of seeing you).

  • Action: Saw

  • Object: You.

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Summary Table

Question Type	Focus	Helper?	Example
Object Question	You want to know who/what received the action.	Yes (did)	What did you buy?
Subject Question	You want to know who/what performed the action.	No	What happened?

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Exercise: "Subject or Object?"

Instructions: Fill in the blanks. Decide if you need the auxiliary did + base verb, or just the past tense of the verb in brackets.

1. Who __________ you __________ at the mall yesterday? (to meet)

2. Who __________ to the party last night? (to come)

3. What __________ that loud noise? (to make)

4. What __________ you __________ for dinner? (to make)

5. Which team __________ the game on Sunday? (to win)

6. Who __________ this beautiful picture? (to paint)

7. Which car __________ you __________? (to choose)

8. What __________ on the news this morning? (to happen)

9. Who __________ you __________ about the secret? (to tell)

10. Who __________ you about the secret? (to tell)

created by A. I.