







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 hope it wasn't an expensive wine! | 비싼 와인이 아니면 좋을텐데! |
| Why didn't you remind me while I was on the phone, then! | 통화하는 중에 좀 얘기를 해주지, 글쎄! |
| Anyway, did you have any problems with that girl before? | 아무튼, 전에는 저 여자랑 문제 있었던 거 없었어? |
| I hope I didn't make you wait long. | 제가 너무 오래 기다리게 만든 건 아니길 바라요. |
| Did you get yourself a cappuccino, too? | 네 것도 카푸치노 사왔어? |
| We also tried to find a house for you a couple of weeks ago. | 그리고 몇 주 전에 너희 집을 구하려고 같이 알아보기도 했고. |
| It happened later in the movie, I mean the story. | 그건 영화 나중에, 아니 이야기 나중에 나오는 거잖아. |
| How come? We just called this morning! | 그럴 리가요? 오늘 아침에 전화드렸는걸요! |
| Nope, I'm okay, I just had something before I came. | 됐어, 난 오기 전에 뭐 먹었어서 괜찮걸랑. |
| Yes, while I was looking at the wine, the rice fell... | 응, 와인을 보고 있는데, 쌀이 떨어져서... |
| Yes, I moved from Brighton about a month ago. | 네, 브라이튼에서 한달 쯤 전에 이사왔어요. |
| You nearly gave me a heart attack! | 심장 떨어지는 줄 알았다! |
| Oh, that's a relief, did you get rid of it? | 아, 다행이다, 그럼 뒷처리는 했어? |
| I'm not sure, I started using it when I moved into this house. | 잘 모르겠어, 이 집 들어와서 쓰기 시작했거든. |
| An old lady came out and shouted at me very angrily! | 웬 할머니가 나와서 나한테 호통을 치셨다고! |
| It wasn't long ago. | 오래 되진 않았어. |
| Of course, we all grew up together. | 물론이지, 다들 어릴 때 같이 자랐는걸. |
| Welcome, tonight we reserved one of our best tables for you! | 어서오세요, 두분을 위해서 가장 좋은 테이블 중 하나를 맡아드렸어요! |
| Apparently you f*cked up, then what happened? | 정신차려 보니 x돼 있었다 이거구만. 그래서 어떡했어? |
| I called about 10 people yesterday to make appointments. | 약속을 잡으려고 어제 거의 10명한테 전화를 했다고. |