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 | |
---|---|
You killed my favourite movie with one punch, dear! | ¡Mataste mi película de un solo golpe, querida! |
So you already knew the cat was here before you came. | Así que ya sabías que el gato estaba aquí antes de que vinieras. |
Then she started to talk about how she was allergic to cats, etcetera. | Después empezó a decirme que era alérgica a los gatos, etcétera. |
Erm, okay guys, let me explain what happened... | Erm, de acuerdo chicos, déjenme explicar lo que pasó... |
Did you get yourself a cappuccino, too? | ¿Tú también te trajiste un capuchino? |
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. |
Of course, we all grew up together. | Claro, todas crecimos juntas. |
Because we were at the cinema, dear... | Porque estábamos en el cine, querido... |
Yep, I gave it to a spider in the garden. | Sí, se la di a una araña del jardín. |
I didn't have any time to go and check houses. | No tenía nada de tiempo para ir a ver casas. |
Then when I got there, I called her again, but she didn't answer! | Después, cuando llegué ahí le volví a llamar, ¡pero no me contestó! |
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. |
Did you put a question mark at the end? | ¿Escribiste un signo de interrogación al final? |
I don't know, it was like 10. | No lo sé, como a las 10. |
I hope you managed to find it, then. | Espero que hayas conseguido encontrarlo. |
An old lady came out and shouted at me very angrily! | ¡Una señora anciana salió y me gritó muy enojada! |
Did something happen to Pogo? | ¿Algo le pasó a Pogo? |
Diego was living in this house and there was a vacancy. | Diego vivía en esta casa y había una vacante. |
I went home and plugged my phone into the charger... | Regresé a mi casa y conecté mi teléfono al cargador... |
But I really wanted to go there tonight. | Pero en verdad quería ir allí hoy. |