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 | |
---|---|
I knew it was too good to be true! | ¡Sabía que era demasiado bueno para ser verdad! |
I think we should move the desk back where it was before. | Creo que deberíamos mover el escritorio a donde estaba antes. |
You nearly gave me a heart attack! | ¡Casi me dio un infarto! |
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! |
Didn't I just say the same thing? | ¿No acabo de decir lo mismo? |
At one point, I thought you were interested in the house. | En algún punto pensé que estabas interesada en la casa. |
Unfortunately, I already did. | Por desgracia, ya lo hice. |
Plus you drank half of my bottle of wine! | ¡Además te bebiste la mitad de mi botella de vino! |
Except Pinocchio knew he wasn't a real boy from the beginning. | Excepto que Pinocho sabía que no era un niño de verdad desde el principio. |
Did the chips remind you of her? | ¿Las papas fritas te recordaron a ella? |
Why didn't you remind me while I was on the phone, then! | ¡Por qué no me lo recordaste cuando estaba al teléfono! |
At least you didn't waste your whole day off for nothing! | ¡Al menos no desperdiciaste tu día completo en vano! |
Basically, we were both in the kitchen last night... | Básicamente, los dos estábamos en la cocina anoche... |
Can you please tell me what I had there? | ¿Podrías por favor decirme lo que ordené allá? |
What was wrong with the last house? | ¿Qué estaba mal con la última casa? |
Of course, we all grew up together. | Claro, todas crecimos juntas. |
No, I got myself a macchiato. | No, yo me traje un macchiato. |
Yes, I got some missed call notifications after I turned my phone on! | ¡Sí, tenía algunas llamadas perdidas cuando encendí mi teléfono! |
I didn't have any time to go and check houses. | No tenía nada de tiempo para ir a ver casas. |
I left it on this chair! | ¡La dejé en esta silla! |