







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 | |
|---|---|
| How did we switch from Mayfair to the suburbs that fast? | 메이페어에서 교외라니 어쩌다 이렇게 빨리 바뀌었담? |
| Did you put a question mark at the end? | 문장 끝에 물음표는 찍었고? |
| Of course not, how did you come up with that idea? | 당연히 아니지, 그런 생각은 어디서 난 거야? |
| I hope the other appointments weren't very far apart from each other. | 다른 약속들 사이에 뜨는 시간이 길지는 않았길 바라. |
| Umm, since we met I can count the days I didn't hear you snoring. | 으음, 우리가 만난 이래로 네 코골이를 안 들었던 날은 손에 꼽을 거 같아. |
| Then we found the wallet with nothing left in it. | 그리고 다시 찾았더니 돈이 탈탈 털린 상태였죠. |
| What happened? Did you break a bottle? | 무슨 일이야? 병 깼어? |
| So I got one chocolate and one blueberry one. | 그래서 초코 하나랑 블루베리 하나 사왔어. |
| That's the point... It wasn't the right door! | 그게 바로 문제라구, 맞는 집이 아니었으니까! |
| Hello, I booked a table for two in the name of Cate for 20:30. | 안녕하세요, 오후 8시 반에 두 사람 테이블 예약했고요, 이름은 케이트예요. |
| I know, I also didn't expect it to be your favourite movie. | 알아, 네가 제일 좋아하는 영화일 줄은 몰랐는데. |
| I don't even want to remember it, but, since you asked... | 생각도 하고 싶지 않지만, 네가 물어보니까 말인데... |
| Did the chips remind you of her? | 감자튀김 얘기하니까 생각났나봐? |
| What brought you to London? | 너는 왜 런던에 있어? |
| I didn't realise there was a problem with the toilet! | 변기에 문제가 있는 줄은 모르고 있었네! |
| Did you get yourself a cappuccino, too? | 네 것도 카푸치노 사왔어? |
| Oh sorry, I didn't ask you what you wanted. | 아 미안, 뭘 마시고 싶은지 안 물어봤다. |
| I only managed to get 3 appointments for today. | 근데 오늘 약속이 잡힌 사람은 3명밖에 없었어. |
| This was the only one left on the shelf. | 선반에 이거 밖에 안 남아있더라구요. |
| That's right, how did we forget that? | 맞네. 어떻게 그걸 까먹었지? |