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 | |
---|---|
Anyway, did you have any problems with that girl before? | それはそうと、前にあの女の子となにか問題でもあったの? |
Sorry, Julianne, I didn't know you were still here. | すまないね、ジュリアンヌ。まだここにいるとは知らなかったんだ。 |
Yes they do, they looked after him last time. | えぇ、彼らは出来るわ。前回彼らがポゴの面倒を見てくれたの。 |
Anyway, I called the girl again, and of course, she didn't answer. | とにかく、その女の子にもう一度電話したんだけど、案の定電話に出なかったわ。 |
What kind of coffee did you get me? | どんな種類のコーヒー買ってくれたの? |
It was nice meeting you. | 会えて良かったよ。 |
5 minutes before I arrived, I called her, but she didn't answer. | 到着 5 分前にその子に電話をかけたんだけど、その子電話に出なかったの。 |
They're fine, we played a game called *catch the wasp*! | みんな元気に「スズメバチを捕まえろ」ていうゲームで遊んでたんだよ! |
Then the wine bottle broke, etcetera... | そしたらワインボトルを割ってしまったりして... |
When did you last visit your parents? | 最後にいつご両親の元へ訪れたの? |
Pinocchio didn't know he wasn't a real boy in the beginning, either. | ピノキオも最初は自分が本当の男の子じゃないってことは知らなかったわよ。 |
While I was trying to catch the rice, I accidentally knocked over a bottle. | お米をキャッチしようとしたら、うっかりボトルに当たっちゃったの。 |
It was my mistake accepting the job to work with them. | 彼らとの仕事を引き受けた僕のミスだな。 |
Good morning my friend, did I wake you up? | おはようマイク。起こしちゃったかな? |
Anyway, I woke up at 07:00 and went to see the first one. | だから、7 時に起きて最初のアパートを見に行ったの。 |
Oh god... It was a nightmare for me today! | もう、今日は最悪な日だったわ! |
I went there, too, but they didn't have it, either. | そこへも行ったわ、でもやっぱり無かったの。 |
Unfortunately, the next one was at 11 and the last one was at 15:30. | あいにく次のアポが 11 時、最後のアポが 15 時半だったのよ。 |
I just got here mate, about 5 minutes ago. | 5分ほど前にここに来たんだ。 |
I just wanted to talk to you alone. | 君ひとりに話したかったんだ。 |