Leisure and Sports
Primary 6 · English
Leisure and Sports
Lesson 2 of 5
40 min
Last Saturday, two primary schools in Rubavu played a friendly football match. On Monday morning, everybody wanted to tell the story: “Mugisha scored! The crowd shouted! We danced all the way home!”
Every one of those verbs is in the past simple, because the match is finished. Today you will read the story of another big match, in Ghana, and learn to tell stories about things you did.
This story by Peter K. Amoabil comes from the African Storybook. As you read, look for the verbs that tell you what happened.
In Tamale, in the northern part of Ghana, there were two friendly villages called Kanvilli and Tuunayili. The people from both villages liked each other, but they had never played a football match together.
One day, the leaders of Kanvilli and Tuunayili decided to organise a football match. “Let's play a game to celebrate our friendship!” they said. Everyone cheered with excitement.
Children from both villages practised every day. Mandeiya from Kanvilli and Suhuyini from Tuunayili were the best players. They couldn't wait to play in the big game.
The day of the match finally arrived. The field was full of people from both villages, wearing colourful clothes and waving flags. Everyone was ready for the game to begin.
The referee blew the whistle, and the game started. Mandeiya from Kanvilli scored the first goal. The crowd cheered loudly for Mandeiya's amazing kick.
Suhuyini from Tuunayili didn't give up. He dribbled past the defenders and scored a goal too! Now the score was 1–1, and everyone was on the edge of their seats.
With only a few minutes left, Danaa from Tuunayili got the ball. He ran faster than the wind and kicked the ball into the net. Tuunayili was now leading 2–1!
The match ended, and Tuunayili won 2–1. But both villages celebrated together. They danced, sang and enjoyed delicious food. The football match had brought them closer as friends than before.
Answer each question in your head or in your exercise book first. Then tap Show answer to check.
Why did the leaders organise the match?
To celebrate the friendship between the two villages.
Who scored the winning goal?
Danaa from Tuunayili.
What does “on the edge of their seats” mean?
Very excited and a little nervous, waiting to see what would happen next.
Kanvilli lost, but its people still celebrated. What does this tell you about the two villages?
They cared more about their friendship than about winning. They were good sports.
We use the past simple for actions that started and finished in the past. Look at how the verbs in the story change.
| Base verb | Past simple | From the story |
|---|---|---|
| blow | blew | The referee blew the whistle. |
| run | ran | He ran faster than the wind. |
| win | won | Tuunayili won 2–1. |
| sing | sang | They danced, sang and enjoyed delicious food. |
| get | got | Danaa got the ball. |
| bring | brought | The match had brought them closer. |
| is / are | was / were | The field was full of people. |
In negatives and questions, did carries the past, so the main verb goes back to its base form:
yesterday · last night · last week · last month · last year · two days ago · in 2024 · on Saturday
Two days ago, our class played volleyball. Last month we watched a cycling race.
Tip
Finished time means a past verb. If you can put yesterday, last ... or ... ago into the sentence, the verb goes into the past.
But after did or didn't, the verb goes back to its base form: did win, didn't give.
Write your answers in your exercise book, then check.
Change into the past simple: Mandeiya scores a goal.
Answer: Mandeiya scored a goal.
Write the past simple of: blow, win, bring.
Answer: blew, won, brought
Correct the mistake: We didn't went to the stadium last Sunday.
Answer: We didn't go to the stadium last Sunday.
Turn into a question with Did: Tuunayili won the match.
Answer: Did Tuunayili win the match?
Write two sentences about something you did last weekend. Use a time word in each.
Answer: Example: Last Saturday I played football with my cousins in Kimironko. Two days ago I helped my grandmother in the garden.
What you learned today
Sources and credits
Quick check
The referee ___ the whistle, and the game started.
