Grammar › Past Simple

Past Simple: yes/no questions

450 fill-in-the-gap exercises, 45 tests of ten

Start with did, for every subject. The verb that follows stays plain.

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Getting your first question ready.

The pattern

Did comes first, then the subject, then the plain verb:

Did he call you? — Did the shop open?

There is only one auxiliary form, so there is nothing to choose between.

Short answers repeat did

Did you finish? — Yes, I did. or No, I didn’t.

You would not normally answer Yes, I finished. The short answer is the standard reply.

Questions with be

If the main verb is be, there is no auxiliary. The question is made by swapping:

Mixing the two patterns — Did you were… — is the commonest error here, and it is easy to catch: ask yourself whether the verb is be.

Softer and indirect forms

To sound less blunt, English wraps the question:

Notice that inside the wrapper the word order returns to normal: subject, then verb, and no did.

All forms

SubjectQuestionShort answer, yesShort answer, no
any subjectDid they arrive?Yes, they did.No, they didn't.
with be insteadWere they late?Yes, they were.No, they weren't.

Examples

Taken from the 450 sentences in this drill. The answer is highlighted.

Mistakes to avoid

Wrong: Did she went out? correct: Did she go out?

After did, the plain form.

Wrong: Did you were at home? correct: Were you at home?

Be makes its own question. Did never appears with it.

Quick choices from this form

Do or does? 1,242 sentences, 124 tests of ten

Other forms of Past Simple

Positive Statements in Past Simple Tense with "did" 450 sentences, 45 tests of ten Negative Statements in Past Simple Tense with "did" 450 sentences, 45 tests of ten Questions in Past Simple Tense with "did" 450 sentences, 45 tests of ten WH-Questions in Past Simple Tense with "did" 450 sentences, 45 tests of ten
Mixed practice → Done with this form? Try it among all the others — ten, twenty or thirty sentences from every form at once.