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 | |
---|---|
What's the joke? I didn't get it. | Qual è la battuta? Non capisco. |
I didn't say monthly! I meant paying 100 more each daily... | Non ho detto al mese! Volevo dire pagare 100 di più ciascuno al giorno… |
There was nothing wrong with you at the shop. | Al negozio non avevi problemi. |
Unfortunately, the next one was at 11 and the last one was at 15:30. | Sfortunatamente, quello successivo era alle 11 e l’ultimo alle 15:30. |
I'm his friend from London, as he mentioned! | Sono una sua amica di Londra, come ha detto lui! |
Didn't they call you when you didn't show up at 11:00? | Non ti hanno chiamata quando non sei arrivata alle 11:00? |
Did you call this one near the station? | Hai chiamato questa vicino alla stazione? |
Why didn't you remind me while I was on the phone, then! | Perché non me lo hai ricordato mentre ero al telefono allora! |
What brought you to London? | Cosa ti ha portato a Londra? |
That's interesting, did you also teach them how to cook? | Interessante, insegnavi loro anche come cucinare? |
Anyway, I called the girl again, and of course, she didn't answer. | Ad ogni modo, ho chiamato di nuovo la ragazza, e naturalmente, non rispondeva. |
What happened? Who was that? | Cos’è successo? Chi era? |
Plus you drank half of my bottle of wine! | In più hai bevuto mezza della mia bottiglia di vino! |
Yes, while I was looking at the wine, the rice fell... | Sì, mentre guardavo il vino, il riso è caduto… |
It doesn't mean I didn't spend any time finding a house. | Non significa che non abbia impiegato del tempo per trovare una casa. |
I only went to the kitchen and no one was there. | Sono andata solo in cucina e non c’era nessuno. |
Or a demon possessed her! | O che fosse posseduta da un demone! |
You got it right, cleaning in general! | Esatto, pulire in generale! |
You nearly gave me a heart attack! | Mi hai fatto quasi venire un infarto! |
I saw a coffee shop just outside the station. | Ho visto un caffè proprio fuori dalla stazione. |