







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 | |
|---|---|
| To where? You just came, you didn't even finish your beer. | Wohin? Du bist gerade erst gekommen und hast nicht mal dein Bier ausgetrunken. |
| They are an old couple, he thought I was his son. | Es war ein altes Pärchen. Er dachte ich bin sein Sohn. |
| Did you manage to find it? | Konntest du ihn finden? |
| Anyway, did you have any problems with that girl before? | Wie auch immer, hattest du schon mal Probleme mit diesem Mädchen? |
| What's the joke? I didn't get it. | Was ist witzig daran? Ich verstehe den Witz nicht. |
| It's good you called me before you came today. | Gut, dass du mich vor deinem Besuch heute angerufen hast. |
| Also I caught the wasp before they managed to get stung. | Außerdem habe ich die Wespe gefangen, bevor sie gestochen wurden. |
| I didn't have any time to go and check houses. | Ich hatte keine Zeit mir Häuser anzusehen. |
| Because it's in my bag, I didn't hear it. | Weil es in meiner Tasche ist. Ich habe es nicht gehört. |
| So I snore everyday... Why didn't you tell me that before? | Also schnarche ich jeden Tag... Warum hast du mir das nicht schon früher gesagt? |
| You drank too many beers last night! | Du hast letzte Nacht zu viel Bier getrunken! |
| Nope, there was no evidence of fire anywhere... | Nein, ich konnte nirgendwo etwas von einem Feuer sehen... |
| I'm his friend from London, as he mentioned! | Ich bin, wie schon erwähnt, seine Freundin aus London! |
| How did you know he was a male cat? | Woher weißt du, dass es ein Kater ist? |
| Did you have much money in your purse? | Hattest du Geld in deinem Geldbeutel? |
| I didn't realise there was a problem with the toilet! | Ich habe nicht bemerkt, dass es ein Problem mit der Toilette gab! |
| I hope it wasn't an expensive wine! | Ich hoffe es war kein teurer Wein! |
| No, I didn't even know her name, until today. | Nein, ich wusste bis heute nicht einmal wie sie heißt. |
| Exactly, I think they understood it at first sight! | Genau. Ich denke sie haben es auf den ersten Blick verstanden! |
| I found out we didn't have many things in the fridge. | Ich habe gemerkt, dass wir nicht viel im Kühlschrank haben. |