Ready to level up your English grammar? Our free past tense test invites learners, educators, and word lovers to explore past tense forms in a fun, interactive format. You'll tackle questions with past tense - spot irregular verbs, master regular patterns, and decode time markers - while boosting confidence with a complete past tenses test that feels more like a game than an exam. Plus, refine your accuracy with our simple past tense exam or dive into nuances with the imperfect tense quiz , all past tense for free. Get instant feedback on every question, fix mistakes, and watch your skills soar. Don't wait - test yourself now and become the grammar champion you're meant to be!
Choose the correct simple past tense form of 'eat'.
ate
eaten
eat
eated
The simple past tense of 'eat' is 'ate', which is an irregular verb form. 'Eaten' is the past participle used with perfect tenses, while 'eat' is the base form and 'eated' is incorrect. Irregular verbs don’t follow the regular -ed ending rule. Learn more: Simple Past Tense.
Which sentence is in the simple past tense?
She walks to school.
She walked to school.
She is walking to school.
She will walk to school.
‘She walked to school.’ uses the simple past form 'walked' to describe a completed action in the past. The others represent present simple, present continuous, and future simple tenses respectively. The simple past is often marked by -ed for regular verbs. For details, see Simple Past Tense Guide.
Select the correct simple past tense of 'go'.
went
goed
gone
goes
'Go' is irregular and its past tense form is 'went'. 'Gone' is the past participle used with perfect tenses, and 'goes' is the third person singular present form. Irregular verbs must be memorized since they do not follow -ed rules. More: Irregular Verbs List.
Choose the simple past tense form of 'see'.
saw
seen
seed
sees
The past tense of 'see' is 'saw', which is irregular. 'Seen' is the past participle, and 'sees' is present tense. Regular forms like 'seed' or adding -s are incorrect for past. More info: Simple Past Tense.
Select the correct simple past tense of 'run'.
ran
runned
run
running
'Run' is irregular; its past tense is 'ran'. 'Runned' is incorrect, and 'run' is the base form. 'Running' is a present participle. Understanding irregular forms is crucial for correct tense usage. Reference: EF Simple Past.
Which sentence uses the past progressive tense?
They were singing a song.
They sing a song.
They have sung a song.
They will sing a song.
The past progressive (continuous) is formed with 'was/were' + verb-ing, as in 'were singing'. It describes an action in progress at a past time. The other options are simple present, present perfect, and future simple. Details: Past Continuous.
By the time she arrived, he ____ dinner.
had finished
finished
has finished
finishes
This sentence requires past perfect ('had finished') to show one past action occurred before another. 'Finished' alone is simple past and doesn’t establish the sequence. The past perfect clarifies that dinner was done before her arrival. See Past Perfect Tense.
He ____ to work yesterday because his car broke down.
drove
drive
has driven
drives
'Drive' in the simple past is 'drove'. 'Drive' is the base form, 'has driven' is present perfect, and 'drives' is present. Use simple past for actions completed at a specific past time. Learn more: Simple Past Tense.
Which sentence uses the present perfect tense?
I saw that movie.
I have seen that movie.
I will see that movie.
I see that movie.
Present perfect is formed with 'have/has' + past participle, here 'have seen'. It indicates an experience at an unspecified past time. 'Saw' is simple past, 'will see' is future, and 'see' is simple present. Further reading: Present Perfect Tense.
They ____ for hours when the rain started.
had been hiking
were hiking
have been hiking
hiked
The past perfect continuous ('had been hiking') shows an action in progress before another past event. 'Were hiking' is past continuous but doesn’t emphasize duration before the rain. The other forms don’t fit the required sequence. See Past Perfect Continuous.
Identify the error and choose the correct revision: 'I didn't saw him yesterday.'
I didn't see him yesterday.
I didn't saw him yesterday.
I didn't seen him yesterday.
I don't see him yesterday.
After 'didn't', the verb must be in its base form, so 'see' is correct. 'Saw' and 'seen' are incorrect with 'didn't', and 'don't see' mismatches past time. This rule applies to all negative simple past sentences. More: Simple Past Tense.
The cake was ____ before the guests arrived.
eaten
ate
eats
was eating
The past participle 'eaten' is used in passive voice ('was eaten') to indicate the cake had been consumed before arrival. 'Ate' is simple past active, 'eats' is present, and 'was eating' is past continuous active. Passive structures require past participles. See Passive Voice.
Which sentence correctly describes a past habitual action?
When I was a child, I played soccer every weekend.
I have played soccer every weekend.
I am playing soccer every weekend.
I will play soccer every weekend.
Simple past ('played') is used for past habitual actions, often with time markers like 'when I was a child'. Present perfect expresses experience or actions with relevance to the present, and the others are present continuous and future simple. More: Simple Past Tense.
Choose the correct past tense of 'to lie' (recline): 'Yesterday, I ____ on the sofa all afternoon.'
lay
lied
lain
lie
The verb 'lie' (recline) is irregular: its simple past is 'lay'. 'Lain' is the past participle, used with perfect tenses, and 'lied' is the past of 'lie' (to tell a falsehood). Distinguishing these is essential. Details: Lie/Lay Distinction.
By the end of the presentation, she ____ all her key points twice.
had reviewed
reviewed
has reviewed
was reviewing
Past perfect ('had reviewed') shows completion before another past reference ('end of the presentation'). Simple past ('reviewed') lacks the sequence implication. Present perfect and past continuous are incorrect for the timeline. More: Past Perfect.
If I ____ more time, I would have traveled around Europe.
had had
had
have had
have
In third conditional sentences, the correct structure uses 'had had' in the if-clause to express an unreal past condition. 'If I had had more time' implies the condition wasn't met. Simply 'had' or 'have had' would break the sequence. See Third Conditional.
She ____ at the company for five years before she got promoted.
had been working
worked
was working
has been working
The past perfect continuous ('had been working') emphasizes the duration of her work before the promotion. 'Worked' and 'was working' don't convey the same continuity, and 'has been working' is present perfect continuous. More: Past Perfect Continuous.
By 2020, they ____ in that city for a decade.
had been living
have lived
lived
were living
Past perfect continuous ('had been living') shows an action that started in the past and continued up to a specific time (2020). 'Lived' or 'were living' lack the sequence clarity, and 'have lived' is present perfect. More: Past Perfect Continuous.
He said he ____ the report before the meeting started.
had completed
completed
has completed
will complete
In reported speech, past perfect ('had completed') correctly backshifts the original simple past. 'Completed' would leave it in direct speech tense, and the others are present perfect or future. Learn more: Reported Speech.
Identify the correct form: 'He had ____ to the store before it closed.'
gone
went
goes
going
The past perfect 'had gone' uses the past participle 'gone'. 'Went' is simple past and incorrect after 'had'. 'Goes' is present tense, and 'going' is a gerund. For more, see Past Perfect Tense.
I wish I ____ the job offer last week.
had accepted
accepted
have accepted
would accept
After 'I wish', the past perfect ('had accepted') expresses regret about an unfulfilled past action. 'Accepted' is simple past, and the others don’t convey that retrospective sense. See Subjunctive Mood.
After the concert ended, we realized we ____ our tickets.
had lost
lost
have lost
would lose
Past perfect ('had lost') indicates the loss occurred before the concert ended. Simple past would not clearly establish the sequence, and present perfect or conditional forms are incorrect here. More: Past Perfect.
If she ____ earlier, she would be here now.
had left
left
would have left
has left
This mixed conditional uses past perfect ('had left') in the if-clause and modal present ('would be') in the result clause to express unreal past affecting present. Other forms break the mixed conditional structure. See Mixed Conditionals.
I would behave as if I ____ the owner.
were
was
are
have been
In subjunctive mood for hypothetical situations, 'were' is used for all subjects. 'Was' is indicative past, and the others are incorrect moods. This is key in formal writing. More: Subjunctive Mood.
She said that she ____ to the meeting the day before.
had gone
went
has gone
goes
In reported speech, simple past 'went' backshifts to past perfect 'had gone'. 'Has gone' and 'goes' are incorrect tense shifts. Proper backshifting maintains time sequence. Details: Reported Speech Rules.
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Study Outcomes
Identify Past Tense Forms -
Recognize and label past tense verbs accurately within sentences, reinforcing your understanding of simple, continuous, and perfect past tenses.
Differentiate Present vs Past Tenses -
Distinguish between present and past tense forms in a variety of contexts, enhancing your ability to spot tense changes in real-life sentences.
Apply Past Tense in Context -
Practice constructing sentences with appropriate past tense verbs, using questions with past tense to strengthen your grammar skills.
Analyze Sentence Tense Usage -
Examine and correct tense errors in example sentences, developing a sharper eye for grammatical accuracy.
Interpret Instant Feedback for Improvement -
Use the quiz's immediate feedback to pinpoint areas for growth and reinforce correct past tense usage as you progress.
Boost Confidence in Past Tense Usage -
Measure your performance in this past tenses test to track your progress and build confidence in both written and spoken communication.
Cheat Sheet
Regular vs. Irregular Verbs -
Understanding the difference between regular verbs (which form the past tense by adding - ed) and irregular verbs (which change in unpredictable ways) is crucial. For example, "walk" becomes "walked," while "go" becomes "went" (Cambridge Dictionary). A helpful mnemonic is "All Eds, No Bounds" to recall regular verbs.
Simple Past Formulas and Question Forms -
In affirmative sentences, use Subject + past form verb (e.g., "I played soccer"). For negatives and questions, employ did + base form (e.g., "Did you play?" "You did not play") according to Purdue OWL guidelines. This structure is a go-to formula for acing your past tense test questions.
Past Continuous vs. Simple Past -
Use the past continuous (was/were + verb-ing) for actions in progress at a specific time (e.g., "I was reading at 8 pm") and the simple past for completed actions (e.g., "I read the book"). Remember the SING mnemonic (Specific time In the past + was doing action) from British Council to differentiate them. Practicing with both forms in a past tense for free quiz boosts accuracy.
Past Perfect for Sequence -
The past perfect (had + past participle) indicates an action that occurred before another past action (e.g., "By the time we arrived, they had left"). This tense clarifies event sequence, making narratives coherent (Oxford University Press). Spotting "had" in questions with past tense is your clue for this form.
Time Adverbs and Context Clues -
Spotting time markers like yesterday, last week, or in 2010 helps identify past tense usage instantly. Scanning for - ed endings and irregular verb forms is a quick strategy during a past tenses test (University of Michigan). Practicing these techniques in a past tense exam for free builds confidence and speed.
