Past Simple Exercises B1 with Answers and Practice

Improving your English with Past Simple Exercises B1 helps you move from basic grammar to more natural and confident communication. At this level, you will practice longer sentences, real-life situations, and mixed grammar to strengthen your accuracy and fluency.

Past Simple Exercises B1

These past simple exercises B1 are designed for intermediate learners who already understand basic grammar and want to improve accuracy and fluency.
At this level, sentences are longer and closer to real-life communication.

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Fill in the Blanks (Long Sentences)

Complete the sentences using the correct past simple form of the verb in brackets:

1. Yesterday, I ______ (go) to the supermarket and ______ (buy) some food.
2. She ______ (not / finish) her project because she ______ (feel) sick.
3. They ______ (travel) to Spain last summer and ______ (visit) many cities.
4. We ______ (meet) our friends after school and ______ (have) dinner together.
5. He ______ (lose) his phone, so he ______ (call) the company for help.
6. I ______ (watch) a movie last night and ______ (enjoy) it a lot.
7. She ______ (not / come) to the meeting because she ______ (be) busy.
8. They ______ (decide) to stay at home and ______ (watch) TV.
9. We ______ (find) a wallet on the street and ______ (give) it to the police.
10. He ______ (finish) his homework early and ______ (go) to bed.

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Choose the Correct Verb Form

Choose the correct past simple form:

1. I (went / go / gone) to work yesterday.
2. She (bought / buy / buys) a new dress last week.
3. They (did / done / do) their homework.
4. We (met / meet / meeting) our teacher in town.
5. He (lost / lose / losing) his keys yesterday.
6. I (saw / see / seen) that movie before.
7. She (took / take / taken) the bus to school.
8. They (had / have / has) a great time at the party.

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Past Simple Exercises B1 with Answers

Practicing with answers helps you understand mistakes and improve quickly at B1 level.
These exercises focus on real-life situations and more complex sentences.

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Intermediate Level Practice

Complete the sentences:

1. I ______ (visit) my grandparents last weekend.
2. She ______ (not / eat) breakfast this morning.
3. They ______ (watch) a football match yesterday.
4. We ______ (go) to the beach and ______ (swim) in the sea.
5. He ______ (buy) a new car last month.

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Answers (Intermediate Level):

1. visited
2. didn’t eat
3. watched
4. went / swam
5. bought

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Mixed Grammar Quiz

Choose the correct answer:

1. I (did / done / did do) my homework yesterday.
2. She (went / go / gone) to the cinema last night.
3. They (had / have / has) lunch together.
4. We (saw / see / seen) a beautiful place.
5. He (took / take / taken) a photo.

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Answers (Mixed Grammar Quiz):

1. did
2. went
3. had
4. saw
5. took

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If you want to strengthen your grammar further, you can also explore Past Simple Exercises A1 to compare beginner and intermediate levels and see your progress clearly.

Common Mistakes in B1 Past Simple

At B1 level, learners already know the basics, but mistakes still happen when sentences become longer and more complex.
Understanding these errors will help you improve accuracy and sound more natural in English.

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Confusing Regular and Irregular Verbs

One of the most common mistakes is mixing up regular and irregular verb forms.

Incorrect:

• I goed to the cinema yesterday.
• She buyed a new phone last week.
• They taked the bus to school.

Correct:

• I went to the cinema yesterday.
• She bought a new phone last week.
• They took the bus to school.

Regular verbs take -ed, but irregular verbs must be memorized because they change completely.

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Using Present Perfect Instead of Past Simple

Another frequent mistake is using the present perfect instead of the past simple when talking about finished actions.

Incorrect:

• I have seen that movie yesterday.
• She has visited her friend last week.

Correct:

• I saw that movie yesterday.
• She visited her friend last week.

Remember: use past simple for finished actions with a specific time in the past (yesterday, last week, etc.).

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Tips to Master B1 Past Simple

Practice with Real-Life Stories

One of the best ways to master past simple exercises B1 is by telling short stories about your day or past experiences.

Example:

• Yesterday, I went to the market. I bought some food and met my friend. We talked for an hour.

This helps you connect grammar with real communication.

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Read and Write Daily Sentences

Daily practice is key at B1 level. Try reading and writing a few sentences every day:

• I watched a movie last night.
• She visited her grandparents.
• They played football after school.

You can also compare your progress with Past Simple Exercises with Answers for Beginners to see how much you have improved from beginner to intermediate level.

Mastering Past Simple Exercises B1 requires consistent practice, attention to common mistakes, and regular use of English in real contexts. Keep practicing daily, focus on both regular and irregular verbs, and your grammar will improve step by step.