







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 met him last week at the vet. | 지난 주에 동물병원에서 만났어. |
| Because you didn't remind me! | 네가 얘기를 안 해주길래! |
| I hope you managed to find it, then. | 그럼 찾았길 바라. |
| Yes, I thought about moving upstairs. | 응, 윗층에 살까도 생각해봤어. |
| You didn't tell me what kind of muffin you wanted. | 그러고보니 네가 무슨 머핀 좋아하는지를 말 안해줬더라구. |
| Have fun, Diego, it was nice to meet you. | 재밌는 시간 보내요, 디에고. 만나서 반가웠어요. |
| Good morning my friend, did I wake you up? | 좋은 아침이에요, 제가 깨운 건가요? |
| Don't lie, I saw you googling it just now. | 뻥 치시네, 방금 구글 찾아보는 거 봤어. |
| Anyway, did you have any problems with that girl before? | 아무튼, 전에는 저 여자랑 문제 있었던 거 없었어? |
| No, I didn't have much money in it. | 아니, 돈이 많이 있진 않았는데요. |
| You got it right, cleaning in general! | 잘 맞혔어, 치우는 건 전반적으로 다 싫어! |
| We are going to follow the original plan, how it was before. | 원래 계획대로 하자. 하기로 했던 대로. |
| Yes they do, they looked after him last time. | 있기야 하지, 전에도 봐줬으니까. |
| Unfortunately, I already did. | 애석하게도 벌써 물어봐버렸는걸. |
| Look at that, it splashed water all over me! | 봐봐, 내 몸에 물이 다 튀었어! |
| Did anything happen to you? | 너는 괜찮아? |
| I thought you turned it on when you went home. | 집에 가서 휴대폰 켠 줄 알았더니. |
| I'm still shocked... I can't believe what I just heard! | 아직도 충격이야... 무슨 말을 들은 건지 믿기지도 않아! |
| Yes, I managed to see the last one... But I didn't like it! | 응, 마지막 약속 집은 봤는데... 마음에 안 들잖아! |
| Nope, there was no evidence of fire anywhere... | 아니, 불 난 흔적은 아무 데도 없었어... |