







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 | |
|---|---|
| So you already knew the cat was here before you came. | Así que ya sabías que el gato estaba aquí antes de que vinieras. |
| Hello, I booked a table for two in the name of Cate for 20:30. | Hola, reservé una mesa para dos a nombre de Cate para las 20:30. |
| Of course I didn't, they had already started playing it before I got there! | Por supuesto que no, ¡ellos ya habían empezado a jugar antes de que yo llegara! |
| Anyway, what did you say to the old lady? | En fin, ¿qué le dijiste a la señora? |
| That's brilliant, did you manage to see any houses today in the end? | Eso es brillante, ¿al final conseguiste ver alguna casa hoy? |
| And... Your cat? I didn't know you had a cat! | Y... ¿Tu gato? ¡No sabía que tenías un gato! |
| We met at the vet a couple of weeks ago. | Nos conocimos en el veterinario hace un par de semanas. |
| I have to say, your checking the heaters lie wasn't very clever. | Debo decir, tu mentira sobre revisar la calefacción no fue demasiado inteligente. |
| I thought you turned it on when you went home. | Pensé que lo habías encendido cuando regresaste a tu casa. |
| And I don't know why but suddenly she went mental! | Y no sé por qué, ¡pero de pronto se volvió loca! |
| It seems you checked the production date. | Parece que ha mirado la fecha de producción. |
| Hi, what did you decide? | Hola, ¿qué decidiste? |
| I hope I didn't make you wait long. | Espero no haberte hecho esperar mucho. |
| Hey, I just got an idea where to put the bed! | Hey, ¡se me acaba de ocurrir dónde poner la cama! |
| You know we talked about bringing Pogo here one day. | Ya sabes que hablamos sobre traer a Pogo aquí un día. |
| I saw a coffee shop just outside the station. | He visto una cafetería justo a la salida de la estación. |
| Unfortunately, the next one was at 11 and the last one was at 15:30. | Desafortunadamente, la siguiente fue a las 11 y la última a las 15:30. |
| Were you drunk or sober? | ¿Estabas ebrio o sobrio? |
| Dear, I think you were absolutely right! | Querido, ¡creo que estabas en lo correcto! |
| Actually, I didn't even know you had a cat! | ¡La verdad es que ni siquiera sabía que tenías un gato! |