Past Simple
Talk about finished actions and situations in the past.
12 minElementary
1The grammar
Use the Past Simple for actions and situations that finished in the past. We often say when: yesterday, last week, two years ago, in 2019.
Regular verbs add -ed: work becomes worked. Some verbs change their spelling: live becomes lived, study becomes studied, stop becomes stopped. Many common verbs are irregular, and you need to learn them: go becomes went, have becomes had, buy becomes bought.
For negatives and questions, use did. After did and didn't, use the base verb: I didn't see him. Did you call her? The form is the same for all subjects.
The verb 'be' is different. Use was with I, he, she and it. Use were with you, we and they. Do not use did with 'be' when it is the main verb: She wasn't at home. Were you tired?
2Structure and formation
Positive (regular)
Subject + verb + -ed
We worked late.
Positive (irregular)
Subject + past form
She went to Paris.
Negative
Subject + didn't + base verb
He didn't call me.
Question
Did + subject + base verb?
Did you see the email?
Verb 'be'
was / were; wasn't / weren't; Was / Were + subject?
We were at home. Was he late?
3Examples
I worked from home yesterday.
A regular verb with a past time.
They moved to Toronto in 2020.
'Move' ends in e, so just add -d.
We had dinner with some friends last night.
'Have' is irregular: had.
She didn't come to the office on Monday.
After didn't, use the base verb.
Did you book the hotel?
Question: did + subject + base verb.
The hotel was very clean.
'Be' with one thing: was.
4Common mistakes
I goed to the bank.
I went to the bank.
'Go' is irregular. Its past form is 'went'.
She didn't called me.
She didn't call me.
After 'didn't', use the base verb.
Did you saw the news?
Did you see the news?
After 'did', use the base verb.
They was at the airport.
They were at the airport.
'They' takes 'were', not 'was'.
He studyed law.
He studied law.
When a verb ends in a consonant + y, change y to -ied.
5Practical usage
Telling a story
Use it to say what happened, step by step: We arrived at the hotel. We left our bags. Then we went for a walk.
Talking about your past
Use it for finished parts of your life: I studied in Madrid. I worked in a bank for two years.
Now practise it
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