What is the past simple?
We use the past simple for actions and situations that started and finished at a definite time in the past. The time is either said (yesterday, last week, in 2019, two years ago) or clear from the context.
Regular verbs: add -ed
| Rule | Base | Past simple |
|---|---|---|
| Most verbs: add -ed | work, play, visit | worked, played, visited |
| Ends in -e: add -d | live, love, arrive | lived, loved, arrived |
| Consonant + y → -ied | study, try, carry | studied, tried, carried |
| One short vowel + one consonant: double it | stop, plan, chat | stopped, planned, chatted |
Irregular verbs: learn them in groups
| Base | Past simple | Base | Past simple |
|---|---|---|---|
| go | went | see | saw |
| have | had | buy | bought |
| make | made | take | took |
| eat | ate | write | wrote |
| come | came | give | gave |
| be | was / were | do | did |
Negatives and questions
Rule
Use did to help. After did, the verb goes back to the base form.
- Negative: subject + didn’t + base verb → She didn’t go.
- Question: Did + subject + base verb → *Did you see it?*
- Short answers: Yes, I did. / No, I didn’t.
- With be, no helper: I wasn’t there. Were you tired?
Positive
- She went to Paris.
- We bought a car.
- They studied hard.
Negative / question
- She didn’t go to Paris.
- Did you buy a car?
- They didn’t study hard.
Lots of examples
- I visited my grandparents last weekend.Regular verb.
- She studied law at university.study → studied.
- We stopped at a small café for lunch.Double consonant.
- He went to the market and bought some fruit.Irregular verbs in a story.
- They didn’t come to the party because they were ill.Negative + was/were.
- Did you watch the match last night? — Yes, I did.Question and short answer.
- What time did the film start?Question word + did.
- I saw a really good film two days ago.ago = time before now.
- Our teacher gave us a lot of homework last week.Irregular.
- When did you move here? — In 2021.Point in time.
- It was a lovely day, so we ate outside.Past of be.
- He wrote three emails and made a phone call before lunch.Sequence of actions.
Don’t say / Say
Don’t sayI didn’t went to school.
SayI didn’t go to school.Why: After didn’t the verb is in its base form.
Don’t sayDid she liked the food?
SayDid she like the food?Why: After did, base form.
Don’t sayYesterday I go to the cinema.
SayYesterday I went to the cinema.Why: Use the past form for a finished time.
Don’t sayHe buyed a new phone.
SayHe bought a new phone.Why: buy is irregular.
Don’t sayThey was happy.
SayThey were happy.Why: Plural subjects take were.