10 Past Simple Verbs Every A2 Learner Should Know
Last updated: 7 April 2026.
The past simple is the default tense for finished actions and stories at A2. Many everyday verbs are irregular: the past form does not end in -ed. Below are ten verbs A2 learners use constantly—learn the past simple form by heart and you will write and speak more fluently.
donehome.work includes Present & Past Verbs practice: students see the present form and supply the past simple, with instant feedback—ideal for homework or revision. Browse the activities catalogue or register as a teacher to assign it to your class.
1. go → went
- Yesterday we went to the museum.
2. see → saw
- I saw my cousin at the weekend.
3. take → took
- She took the bus because it was raining.
4. make → made
- They made a cake for her birthday.
5. come → came
- He came home late after work.
6. know → knew
- We already knew the answer.
7. think → thought
- I thought the film was excellent.
8. get → got
- She got a message from her teacher.
9. give → gave
- He gave me some good advice.
10. find → found
- I found my keys under the sofa.
Quick tips
- Say them in pairs (present → past) until the past form is automatic.
- Write three short sentences per verb—personal examples stick better than lists alone.
- In exams like Cambridge A2 Key, accurate past forms in the writing and speaking papers boost your score; in multiple-choice grammar, wrong irregular forms are common distractors.
Practise on donehome.work: Open Present & Past Verbs from the grammar activities, set the level to suit your class, and combine with other A2 tasks (e.g. open cloze, sentence reorder) from the same activities hub.