Table of Contents
The past simple is an absolutely crucial tense for English Learners – not just to study for one week and then move on. The past simple is used all the time in speaking and writing and is essential for almost any kind of narrative or description.
Form (Şekil)
The Verb TO BE
Regular Verbs - Affirmative - Spelling
Regular verbs all end in -ed.
He walked to school.
They tidied the room.
We make Regular Past Simple verbs by adding -ed to the base form:
walk -> walked,
turn -> turned,
watch -> watched
We add -d for verbs that already end in -e.
like -> liked,
waste -> wasted,
believe -> believed
We double the consonant:
• if the base form ends in a single vowel + single consonant.
fit -> fitted,
stop > stopped
Exceptions are consonants -W, -X, -Y
sew -> sewed,
box -> boxed,
play -> played
• in two-syllable verbs if the base form ends in a single vowel + single consonant, and the stress is on the second syllable.
regret -> regretted,
prefer -> preferred
• if the base form has two syllables and ends in –l.
travel -> travelled
*This rule doesn’t apply in American English.
We change the -y to -i for some verbs that end in consonant + -y.
try > tried,
fry > fried
We add k to a base form ending in -c.
panic -> panicked
Irregular Verbs - Affirmative
Affirmative statements (irregular verbs)
Irregular Past Simple Werbs have different and unpredictable forms.
They need to be learnt individually.
run -> ran,
fly -> flew,
go – went
Some irregular past forms are spelt the same as the base form (though may be pronounced differently).
put -> put (same pronunciation)
read -> read (change of vowel sound)
Irregular past simple forms are made using the verb listed in the second column of a standard verb table.
You can download the Irregular Verbs pdf List here.
or by clicking on the pictures below.
Questions and Short Answers
Yes / No questions
Did / Didn’t + I/ you / he / she/ it / we / they + base form verb
Did you visit the Great Wall when you were in China?
We make past simple questions using Did.
Regular and irregular verbs both have the same Question Form.
Wh- questions
Where /Why /Who /When /How long etc
+
did / didn’t
+
I/ you/he / she / it / we / they
+
base form verb
When did she pass her exams?
Why didn’t you call me?
Negative questions
These are quite common.
Use didn’t instead of did.
Didn’t you know?
Why didn’t you tell me?
Rising intonation questions
A third way of making past simple questions is to say a statement with rising intonation. This is often use to show surprise or doubt – or to ask for confirmation of something.
You told Tony what I said?
He cheated?
We went to the same school?
Short Answers.
Yes, I/ you/he / she / it / we / they did.
No, I/ you/he / she / it / we / they didn’t.
These are fixed phrases :
Yes, I did.
No, I didn’t.
They are a common way of replying to Past Simple Questions.
Negative
I/ you / he / she/ it / we / they + didn’t /did not + base form verb
I didn’t do my homework.
We didn’t arrive on time.
We make Past Simple Negative sentences using didn’t (or didn’t).
Regular and Irregular verbs both have the same form.
Watch out for these mistakes!!!
She didn’t worked in the city.
Did she worked in the city?
Meaning and Use
Core meaning: Events in the past.
We use the Past Simple tense to talk about finished events in the past.
Both for Regular & Irregular Verbs.
1. Single momentary past events.
We use the Past Simple to talk about single momentary past events.
They bought the paintings in 1989.
2. A sequence of actions to tell a story.
We use the Past Simple to narrate a sequence of actions to tell a story.
The candle flared, then flickered and went out.
3. Events that happened over a period of time in the past.
We use the past Simple to talk about things that happened over a period of time in the past.
We went to the same school when we were children.
He studied theology in Vienna for three years.
He lived most of his adult life in prison.
4. Repeated past events
We use the Past Simple to talk about repeated past events, (non-continuous) things that happened a number of times in the past.
I rang them first thing every morning.
Monet painted 400 or so pictures at Giverny.
We went to church every Sunday.
5. Sudden events, in contrast to another ongoing background action.
We use the Past Simple to talk about sudden events, in contrast to another ongoing background action. The event might have interrupted or stopped the earlier event.
He was vacuuming when I arrived.
‘was vacuuming’ is Past Progressive
‘arrived’ is Past Simple.
We were having breakfast when Brigit phoned
‘were having is PastProgressive
“phoned’ is Past Simple.
You can read more about Past Progressive ‘interrupted actions’ HERE
6. Events happening at the same time
We use the Past Simple to talk about events happening at the same time (with while or when) Both could be past simple – or one might be past progressive
She watched me with interest while I ate.
‘watched’ is Past Simple
‘ate’ is Past Simple.
The gun went off while he was cleaning it.
‘went off’ is Past Simple.
‘was cleaning’ is Past Progressive
7. In Second Conditional Clauses.
We use the Past simple after if (inSecond Conditionals), to make the idea sound unlikely or impossible.
If Luke paid more attention in class, he would achieve better results.
8. After 'It's time','would rather' and 'wish'
We use the Past simple after ‘It’s time’,’would rather’ and ‘wish’;
Ten o’clock – It’s time you went home.
Don’t come and see me today – I‘d rather you come tomorrow.
I wish I had a better memory.
9. Suggesting Politeness or Respect
We use the Past Simple in some expressions where the past tense expresses a ‘tentative’ attitude, suggesting politeness or respect.
Did you wish to see me now?
I wondered if you were free this evening.
(Or: I was wondering)
I thought you might like some flowers.
Remoteness
Some writers have proposed that the key meaning of the past simple is ‘remoteness’ – whether in:
– time (indicating the past),
– hierarchy or relationship (I wondered if you . ..)
– likelihood ( If I went to the moon…)
Time Expressions with Past Simple
We often use the past simple with these time references:
• last night, yesterday, five years ago etc.
• using for: for two months, for a week or two.
• using in: in 1998, in September.
Ago
Ago tells us about the period of time between two times – now and an earlier time. We are looking back from the present and measuring how much time there was between now and the time in the past when something happened. It is used to say how far back in the past something happened.
I started my job two months ago.
For
We use for to say how long a past event or state lasted.
He studied theology in Vienna for three years.
Until
We use until to state when an event or state finished.
She sat on the bottom step until she got cold.
We waited until he left.
Since
We don’t usually use since with the past simple, but it is common with the present Perfect and Past Perfect
Pronunciation
The -ed ending can be pronounced in three different ways:
- /id/ wanted, waited, waded (after /d/, /t/)
- /t/ walked, coughed, ficked (after /f/, /k/, /p/, Is/ , /S/, /tf/)
- /d/ stirred, fired, signed (after all other sounds)
Emphatic Statements
It is possible to make Past Simple statements using did and the base form of the verb.
I did lock the door. I’m absolutely sure.
He did pass his final exam – but only just.
In these sentences, did will usually be stressed – sounding louder, longer and higher in pitch than the main verb. This form is only used to emphasise a statement – to say that something actually happened, probably in contradiction to what someone else has just said.
A: You didn’t walk to work. I bet you took the tram!
B: I did walk to work.
References:
Teaching English Grammar – What to teach an d how to teach it – Jim Scrivener
Practical English Usage – Michael Swan pg. 497
