In English we use the past simple tense to talk about finished actions in the past.
We use 'did' as an auxiliary verb in negatives and questions and we often use the past simple with past time phrases such as 5 minutes ago, yesterday, last week, in the 1980s, and when I was a child.
Notes for use of past simple :
In English, to change verbs to the past tense, we add '-ed' to regular verbs. For example;
work --> worked
live --> lived
walk --> walked
If the verb ends in 'e', we drop the 'e' before adding '-ed'. For example;
dance --> danced
smile --> smiled
phone --> phoned
If the verb ends in a vowel + consonant, we double the last consonant. For example;
stop --> stopped
tag --> tagged
plan --> planned
If the verb has more than one syllable, we double the consonant at the end only if the last syllable is stressed. For example;
prefer --> preferred
permit --> permitted
regret --> regretted
If the last syllable of the verb is not stressed, we do not double the last consonant. For example;
visit --> visited
happen --> happened
develop --> developed
In British English, verbs ending in 'l' double the 'l' before '-ed' whether the last syllable is stressed or not. For example;
travel --> travelled
cancel --> cancelled
If the verb ends in a 'y' or a 'w', we do not double it when we add '-ed'. For example;
stay --> stayed
play --> played
sew --> sewed
In English we do not double the consonant if the verb has two vowels before the last consonant. For example;
boil --> boiled
explain --> explained
In English we also do not double the consonant if the verb ends in two consonants. For example;
help --> helped
start --> started
However, irregular verbs change to completely different words in the past tense. For example;
go --> went
take --> took
know --> knew
The table below shows the different forms of past simple :
Example Verb : live | I / You / We / They / He / She / It |
Positive | ... lived. |
Negative | ... didn't live. |
Questions | Did ... live? |
Short answers | Yes, ... did. / No, ... didn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'was' and 'were'' in the past simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb : Be | I / He / She / It | You / We / They |
Positive | ... was ... | ... were ... |
Negative | ... wasn't ... | ... weren't ... |
Questions | Was ... ... ? | Were ... ...? |
Short answers | Yes, ... was. / No, ... wasn't. | Yes, ... were. / No, ... weren't. |
Past Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Past Simple :
Negative Examples of Past Simple :
Question Examples of Past Simple :
Past simple example sentences | |
---|---|
Yes, that's me, hello, I think we talked on the phone before... | ...أجل، هذه أنا، مرحبًا، أعتقد اننا تحدثنا على الهاتف سابقًا |
I didn't know what to say, I didn't want to be rude, actually. | .لم أعلم ماذا أقول، لم أريد أن أكون وقحًا، في الحقيقة |
I just took it without thinking too much. | .و أخذت هذا المكان بدون التفكير كثيراً |
Hmm, I guess it was about 5 or 6 months ago. | .همم، أعتقد ان هذا كان منذ 5 او 6 أشهر |
Pinocchio didn't know he wasn't a real boy in the beginning, either. | .لم يعلم بونوكيو انه ليس طفل حقيقي في البداية، كذلك |
We've been coming here since Pogo was a kitten. | .لقد إعتدنا ان نأتى الى هنا منذ ان كان بوجو قط صغير |
I met him last week at the vet. | .لقت قابلته الأسبوع الماضى عند البيطرية |
Oh my god, I'm sorry dear, I got what you meant just now... | ...يا إلهي، اسفه ياعزيزي، لقد فهمت ماكنت تقصد الآن |
Then we found the wallet with nothing left in it. | .ثم وجدنا المحفظة و لم يتبقى فيها أى شىء |
And... Your cat? I didn't know you had a cat! | !و...قطتك؟ لم أعلم أن لديك قطة |
Yeah, it was a good trick, who did you learn it from? | أجل، لقد كانت خدعة جيدة، مِن مَن تعلمتي هذه الخدعة؟ |
I know, I also didn't expect it to be your favourite movie. | .أعلم، لم أتوقع أيضًا أن يكون فيلمك المفضل |
Oh, do you know what we forgot? | أوه، هل تعلم ما نسينا؟ |
Apparently you f*cked up, then what happened? | من الواضح أنكِ أخفقتي، ماذا حدث بعد ذلك؟ |
I'm sorry, why did you call that much? | أسفة، لماذا اتصلت كل هذه المرات؟ |
We met at the vet a couple of weeks ago. | .لقد تقابلنا عند البيطرية منذ أسبوعين |
Why didn't you remind me while I was on the phone, then! | !لماذا لم تذكرني بينما كنت على الهاتف، إذًا |
Bye Toby, it was nice talking to you! | !الى اللقاء توبى، من الجيد الحديث اليك |
Sorry, but I have to say, we saw another house earlier today... | ...أسف، لكن يجب أن أقول، لقد رأينا منزل اخر مبكرًا اليوم |
Erm... yes, we kind of did... we broke up! | !امم.... نعم، نوعاً ما.. لقد انفصلنا |