







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 | |
|---|---|
| Didn't you forget something, dear? | ¿No olvidaste algo, querida? |
| Erm, okay guys, let me explain what happened... | Erm, de acuerdo chicos, déjenme explicar lo que pasó... |
| Do you need help, how did you search? | ¿Necesitas ayuda, cómo lo estás buscando? |
| 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. |
| Did anything happen to you? | ¿Te ha pasado algo a ti? |
| Hm, you didn't tell me that before! | Hmm, ¡no me lo habías dicho antes! |
| I didn't want to risk it. | No quería arriesgarme. |
| Where did you get that idea from!? | ¿¡De dónde sacaste esa idea!? |
| You got it right, cleaning in general! | Has acertado, ¡limpiar en general! |
| I'm sorry, why did you call that much? | Lo siento, ¿por qué me llamaste tantas veces? |
| Were you drunk or sober? | ¿Estabas ebrio o sobrio? |
| So you already knew the cat was here before you came. | Así que ya sabías que el gato estaba aquí antes de que vinieras. |
| Have fun, Diego, it was nice to meet you. | Diviértete, Diego, fue un placer conocerte. |
| You didn't tell me what? | ¿No me habías dicho qué? |
| Plus you drank half of my bottle of wine! | ¡Además te bebiste la mitad de mi botella de vino! |
| I didn't know your cat was here. | No sabía que tu gato estaba aquí. |
| They are an old couple, he thought I was his son. | Era una pareja anciana, él pensó que yo era su hijo. |
| There was nothing wrong with you at the shop. | No te pasaba nada en la tienda. |
| To tell you I came here earlier than we agreed! | ¡Para decirte que llegué antes de lo que acordamos! |
| Because we were at the cinema, dear... | Porque estábamos en el cine, querido... |