







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 | |
|---|---|
| Because you didn't remind me! | Weil du mich nicht daran erinnert hast! |
| Yeah, I know that, I got this place because I was in a hurry. | Ja, das weiß ich. Ich hab mich für dieses Haus entschieden, weil ich es eilig hatte. |
| Didn't I just say the same thing? | Hab ich das nicht gerade gesagt? |
| Anyway, I woke up at 07:00 and went to see the first one. | Wie auch immer, ich bin um 07:00 aufgewacht und habe mich aufgemacht das Erste zu besichtigen. |
| Yes, I just started my period an hour ago! | Ja, ich habe meine Tage gerade vor einer Stunde bekommen! |
| There was nothing wrong with you at the shop. | Im Supermarkt war alles in Ordnung mit dir. |
| When I first came to England, I thought it was a holiday only for banks. | Also ich das erste Mal nach England kam, dachte ich es sei ein Feiertag nur für Banken. |
| What the f*ck! I didn't know that! | Was zum Teufel! Ich wusste das nicht! |
| You know we talked about bringing Pogo here one day. | Wir haben doch darüber gesprochen irgendwann mal Pogo herzubringen. |
| She was yelling at me like how dirty we were... | Sie hat mich angeschrien wie schmutzig wir seien... |
| Welcome, tonight we reserved one of our best tables for you! | Willkommen, wir haben heute Abend einen unserer besten Tische für Sie reserviert! |
| And... Your cat? I didn't know you had a cat! | Und... deine Katze? Ich wusste nicht, dass du eine Katze hast! |
| Did you just meet him tonight? | Hast du ihn heute Nacht kennengelernt? |
| To tell you I came here earlier than we agreed! | Um dir zu sagen, dass ich früher hier bin als ausgemacht! |
| Wow! Did you just agree to get a new house? | Wow! Hast du gerade zugestimmt, dass wir in ein neues Haus ziehen? |
| Is that how long your relationship with Jen was, also? | War deine Beziehung mit Jen genauso lange? |
| Except Pinocchio knew he wasn't a real boy from the beginning. | Außer dass Pinocchio von Anfang an wusste, dass er kein echter Junge ist. |
| We are going to follow the original plan, how it was before. | Wir machen genau das, was wir ursprünglich machen wollten. |
| I'm very surprised you didn't check the wine list before you ordered. | Ich bin sehr überrascht, dass du die Weinkarte nicht gelesen hast, bevor du bestellt hast. |
| Dude, I heard you shagging till late last night. | Alter, ich habe gehört, dass du bis spät in die Nacht gevögelt hast. |