Past Simple Question

[Chanounie]

Please could you tell me what the anticipated problems would be in a situation where the student knows the Past Simple tense but I have instructed them to give it in question form and also short answers

[rewboss]

Four things spring to mind:

1. Forgetting that most verbs in this situation require the dummy verb "to do": "Played you golf today?" -- "Yes, I played."

2. Forgetting that "to be" does not require the dummy verb "to do": "Did you be in London yesterday?" -- "Yes, I did."

3. Forgetting that the main verb must be in the basic form, not the past tense: "Did you played golf today?"

4. Using the wrong form of was/were: "Was you in London yesterday?" -- "Were he in London yesterday?"

And, of course, there are always those pesky irregular verbs.

[Chanounie]

Thank you rewboss, you were quick off the mark !!!! Thank you.

[Chanounie]

Originally Posted by rewboss

Four things spring to mind:

1. Forgetting that most verbs in this situation require the dummy verb "to do": "Played you golf today?" -- "Yes, I played."

2. Forgetting that "to be" does not require the dummy verb "to do": "Did you be in London yesterday?" -- "Yes, I did."

3. Forgetting that the main verb must be in the basic form, not the past tense: "Did you played golf today?"

4. Using the wrong form of was/were: "Was you in London yesterday?" -- "Were he in London yesterday?"

And, of course, there are always those pesky irregular verbs.

Could you also tell me the solution to these problems then rewboss ? Thank you so much for your help.

[rewboss]

Well, that depends on exactly what mistakes they are making and why they are making them; it may also depend on what their native language is. There isn't a one-size-fits-all solution.