EnglishAges 7-9

Past & present tense verbs

Change present-tense verbs into their regular or irregular simple past-tense forms. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.

New variation Try interactive challenge Browse templates

Age band:Ages 7-9 Ages 10-12

Choose “Save as PDF” to keep a copy. Use your browser’s paper setting for A4 or Letter.

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 7-9

Past & present tense verbs

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Write the simple past tense of the verb “break” (The wave ____ against the reef).
“break” · Past & present tense verbs
2. Write the simple past tense of the verb “swim” (The dolphins ____ beside the boat).
“swim” · Past & present tense verbs
3. Write the simple past tense of the verb “stop” (The bus ____ at the corner).
“stop” · Past & present tense verbs
4. Write the simple past tense of the verb “carry” (He ____ the basket of fruit).
“carry” · Past & present tense verbs
5. Write the simple past tense of the verb “write” (Amina ____ a letter to her cousin).
“write” · Past & present tense verbs
6. Write the simple past tense of the verb “play” (Last Saturday, they ____ football).
“play” · Past & present tense verbs
7. Write the simple past tense of the verb “walk” (Yesterday, we ____ to school).
“walk” · Past & present tense verbs
8. Write the simple past tense of the verb “bake” (Grandma ____ fresh bread).
“bake” · Past & present tense verbs
9. Write the simple past tense of the verb “grow” (The sunflowers ____ tall in summer).
“grow” · Past & present tense verbs
10. Write the simple past tense of the verb “choose” (He ____ a blue notebook).
“choose” · Past & present tense verbs
11. Write the simple past tense of the verb “speak” (The captain ____ to the crew).
“speak” · Past & present tense verbs
12. Write the simple past tense of the verb “catch” (The goalkeeper ____ the ball).
“catch” · Past & present tense verbs

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9

Past & present tense verbs

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Write the simple past tense of the verb “break” (The wave ____ against the reef).
broke
“Break” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “broke”.
2. Write the simple past tense of the verb “swim” (The dolphins ____ beside the boat).
swam
“Swim” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “swam”.
3. Write the simple past tense of the verb “stop” (The bus ____ at the corner).
stopped
Double the final consonant after a short vowel and add -ed: stopped.
4. Write the simple past tense of the verb “carry” (He ____ the basket of fruit).
carried
Change consonant + y to -ied in the simple past: carried.
5. Write the simple past tense of the verb “write” (Amina ____ a letter to her cousin).
wrote
“Write” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “wrote”.
6. Write the simple past tense of the verb “play” (Last Saturday, they ____ football).
played
Regular verb “play” adds -ed in the simple past: played.
7. Write the simple past tense of the verb “walk” (Yesterday, we ____ to school).
walked
Regular verb “walk” adds -ed in the simple past: walked.
8. Write the simple past tense of the verb “bake” (Grandma ____ fresh bread).
baked
Verbs ending in -e add -d in the simple past: baked.
9. Write the simple past tense of the verb “grow” (The sunflowers ____ tall in summer).
grew
“Grow” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “grew”.
10. Write the simple past tense of the verb “choose” (He ____ a blue notebook).
chose
“Choose” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “chose”.
11. Write the simple past tense of the verb “speak” (The captain ____ to the crew).
spoke
“Speak” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “spoke”.
12. Write the simple past tense of the verb “catch” (The goalkeeper ____ the ball).
caught
“Catch” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “caught”.

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 7-9

Past & present tense verbs

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Write the simple past tense of the verb “break” (The wave ____ against the reef).
“break” · Past & present tense verbs
2. Write the simple past tense of the verb “swim” (The dolphins ____ beside the boat).
“swim” · Past & present tense verbs
3. Write the simple past tense of the verb “stop” (The bus ____ at the corner).
“stop” · Past & present tense verbs
4. Write the simple past tense of the verb “carry” (He ____ the basket of fruit).
“carry” · Past & present tense verbs
5. Write the simple past tense of the verb “write” (Amina ____ a letter to her cousin).
“write” · Past & present tense verbs
6. Write the simple past tense of the verb “play” (Last Saturday, they ____ football).
“play” · Past & present tense verbs
7. Write the simple past tense of the verb “walk” (Yesterday, we ____ to school).
“walk” · Past & present tense verbs
8. Write the simple past tense of the verb “bake” (Grandma ____ fresh bread).
“bake” · Past & present tense verbs
9. Write the simple past tense of the verb “grow” (The sunflowers ____ tall in summer).
“grow” · Past & present tense verbs
10. Write the simple past tense of the verb “choose” (He ____ a blue notebook).
“choose” · Past & present tense verbs
11. Write the simple past tense of the verb “speak” (The captain ____ to the crew).
“speak” · Past & present tense verbs
12. Write the simple past tense of the verb “catch” (The goalkeeper ____ the ball).
“catch” · Past & present tense verbs

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9

Past & present tense verbs

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Write the simple past tense of the verb “break” (The wave ____ against the reef).
broke
“Break” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “broke”.
2. Write the simple past tense of the verb “swim” (The dolphins ____ beside the boat).
swam
“Swim” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “swam”.
3. Write the simple past tense of the verb “stop” (The bus ____ at the corner).
stopped
Double the final consonant after a short vowel and add -ed: stopped.
4. Write the simple past tense of the verb “carry” (He ____ the basket of fruit).
carried
Change consonant + y to -ied in the simple past: carried.
5. Write the simple past tense of the verb “write” (Amina ____ a letter to her cousin).
wrote
“Write” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “wrote”.
6. Write the simple past tense of the verb “play” (Last Saturday, they ____ football).
played
Regular verb “play” adds -ed in the simple past: played.
7. Write the simple past tense of the verb “walk” (Yesterday, we ____ to school).
walked
Regular verb “walk” adds -ed in the simple past: walked.
8. Write the simple past tense of the verb “bake” (Grandma ____ fresh bread).
baked
Verbs ending in -e add -d in the simple past: baked.
9. Write the simple past tense of the verb “grow” (The sunflowers ____ tall in summer).
grew
“Grow” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “grew”.
10. Write the simple past tense of the verb “choose” (He ____ a blue notebook).
chose
“Choose” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “chose”.
11. Write the simple past tense of the verb “speak” (The captain ____ to the crew).
spoke
“Speak” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “spoke”.
12. Write the simple past tense of the verb “catch” (The goalkeeper ____ the ball).
caught
“Catch” is an irregular verb; its simple past tense is “caught”.

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification