Teaching Expertise

Delve into the dynamic world of grammar learning with 20 engaging activities, centered around the past simple tense. These exercises are carefully designed around relatable categories- from daily routines to holiday celebrations, to foster an intuitive understanding of this tense. By weaving grammar into real-world contexts, we aim to ignite students’ curiosity and cultivate a deeper grasp of the English language; all while making learning enjoyable and relevant! 

Daily Routines

These activities provide a sense of familiarity and security to learners as they pertain to their everyday experiences. This will foster a more intuitive grasp of the past simple tense.

  1. Morning Routine: “Yesterday morning, I _____ (wake) up at 6:00 AM, then I _____ (shower) and _____ (dress) for school.”
  2. After School Activities: “After school, I _____ (walk) home, _____ (complete) my homework, and then _____ (play) video games.”

Holidays and Celebrations

The excitement of special occasions and traditions will stimulate learners’ interest and imagination; making their learning experience more enjoyable. These examples are best used in lessons leading up to relevant holidays or during culturally-focused units.

  1. Christmas Celebration: “Last Christmas, we _____ (decorate) a tree, _____ (sing) carols, and _____ (exchange) gifts.”
  2. Halloween Night: “On Halloween, I _____ (wear) a spooky costume, _____ (carve) pumpkins, and _____ (collect) candies.”

Hobbies and Leisure

By linking language learning to the student’s passions and pastimes, these examples aim to create a more engaging and personalized learning atmosphere. They’re excellent as quick homework questions!

  1. Reading Books: “Last night, I _____ (read) a mystery novel and _____ (write) a book report about it.”
  2. Gardening Time: “I _____ (plant) roses in the garden yesterday. I _____ (water) them and _____ (prune) the old branches.”

Travel

The next two examples are great for preparing students for school trips or real-world traveling experiences. Incorporating travel scenarios can broaden learners’ horizons, expose them to different cultures and places, and enhance their communicative competence. 

  1. Trip to the Zoo: “We _____ (drive) to the zoo, _____ (observe) different animals, and _____ (photograph) our favorites.”
  2. City Tour: “Last summer, my family and I _____ (explore) a historical city. We _____ (visit) the museum and _____ (dine) at a local restaurant.”

Sports

These activities can motivate learners who are sports enthusiasts- using their interests to build language skills. They make a great fit for physical education integrated lessons or sports-themed units.

  1. Basketball Match: “My team _____ (play) a basketball match last week. We _____ (shoot) many baskets and _____ (celebrate) our victory.”
  2. Dance Class: “Yesterday, I _____ (attend) a dance class. I _____ (learn) a new routine and _____ (perform) it for the class.”

Cooking

Integrating culinary tasks into language learning can encourage practical life skills alongside grammar. Use these activities when discussing food, nutrition, or even in conjunction with a cooking class.

  1. Making a Salad: “I _____ (prepare) a salad for lunch yesterday. I _____ (chop) the vegetables and _____ (dress) the salad.”
  2. Making Pasta: “Last night, I _____ (boil) pasta, _____ (stir) in the sauce, and _____ (serve) it for dinner.”

Shopping

These exercises offer real-world application of language skills; preparing students for practical interactions. They’re ideal for teaching commerce-related vocabulary or preparing students for field trips.

  1. Electronics Shopping: “Yesterday, I _____ (go) to an electronics store. I _____ (choose) a new phone and _____ (pay) at the counter.”
  2. Book Shopping: “I _____ (visit) a bookstore last weekend. I _____ (browse) the shelves and _____ (buy) a sci-fi novel.”

Music

These activities can help your kiddos tap into their creative side- making the learning process more expressive and enjoyable. 

  1. Learning a New Instrument: “I _____ (start) learning to play the guitar last month. Yesterday, I _____ (practice) chords and _____ (play) a simple song.”
  2. Singing Lessons: “Last week, I _____ (attend) my first singing lesson. I _____ (warm) up my voice and _____ (sing) a few scales.”

Pets

Learning through activities related to pets can make the process more fun and interesting- especially for animal-loving students. Use these questions in biology-integrated lessons or in a session about family and lifestyle.

  1. Playing with a Pet: “Yesterday, I _____ (play) fetch with my dog and _____ (groom) her fur.”
  2. Training a Pet: “Last week, I _____ (train) my parrot to speak. It _____ (repeat) everything I said.”

House Chores

These activities help students relate their learning to real-life tasks; fostering a practical understanding of the language used. They’re perfect for lessons about home life or to encourage responsibility and organization.

  1. Room Organizing: “Last weekend, I _____ (sort) out my room. I _____ (arrange) my books and _____ (clean) the windows.”
  2. Fixing a Bike: “Yesterday, I _____ (fix) my bike. I _____ (inflate) the tires and _____ (adjust) the seat.”