PAST SIMPLE

Prin Past Tense Simple facem referire la aciuni punctuale care au nceput i s-au terminat n trecut.
Pentru acest timp verbal, avem nevoie de forma a doua a verbului. n cazul verbelor regulate,
lucrurile sunt foarte simple: adugm -ed la finalul primei forme. Verbele neregulate nu se comport
la fel, dar gseti aici toate resursele de care ai nevoie pentru a le nva i exersa.

Past Simple is used for actions that started and finished in the past.

one action in the past: I watched TV yesterday.

a series of actions in the past: I woke up, then I had breakfast and read the newspaper.

historical facts: The Second World War started in 1939.

generalizations in the past: People watched less TV 10 years ago.

How do I recognize Past Simple?

Past Simple is often marked by explicit or implicit adverbs or time expressions.

yesterday, yesterday morning, the day before yesterday

last evening, last week, last month, last September, last summer, last year

one week ago, two months ago, three years ago

specific dates or months (if they are in the past): on the 1 st of March, in May

implicit reference (it is obvious that we are referring to the past): As a teenager, he played
video games a lot.

Regular and irregular verbs

English verbs may be regular or irregular. This is linked to their second form. For Past Simple, we
need the second form of the verb, which is formed like this:

Regular verbs have regular second forms. They take an -ed at the end of the first form. e.g.:
(to) watch - watched

Irregular verbs have irregular second forms. These can only be learned by heart or by
practice.

e.g.:

(to)

drink

drank

Affirmative

Subject

Verb

II

(...)

e.g.: I (subject) watched (verb) TV yesterday.

1st person, sg. I watched TV yesterday.

1st person, sg. I drank whiskey yesterday.

3rd person, sg. She watched TV yesterday.

3rd person, sg. She drank whiskey yesterday.

Remember that:

At Past Simple, the verb remains unchanged for all persons, singular and plural (including
the 3rd person sg.).

Interrogative
Did

Subject

Verb

(...)

e.g.: Did I (subject) watch (verb) TV yesterday?

1st person, sg. Did I watch TV yesterday?

3rd person, sg. Did she watch TV yesterday?

1st person, sg. Did I drink whiskey yesterday?

3rd person, sg. Did she drink whiskey
yesterday?

Remember that:

In interrogative sentences, the auxiliary did contains the past form of the verb structure. The
main verb (to watch or to drink) is used in its FIRST form.

The auxiliary did is the same for all persons, singular and plural.

The short answer for a Past Simple question is:

o Affirmative: Yes, I did (for all persons Yes, I did; Yes, you did; Yes, he did etc.)
o Negative: No, I didn't = No, I did not (for all persons No, I didn't; No, you didn't;
No, he didn't etc.)

Negative
Subject

Did

Not

Verb

(...)

e.g.: I (subject) did not watch (verb) TV yesterday.

1st person, sg. I did not watch TV yesterday.

3rd person, sg. She did not watch TV
yesterday.

1st person, sg. I did not drink whiskey

yesterday.
rd

3 person, sg. She did not drink whiskey

yesterday.

Remember that:

In negative sentences, the auxiliary did contains the past form of the verb structure. The
main verb (to watch or to drink) is used in its FIRST form.

The short form of did not is didn't. e.g.: I didn't watch TV.

Past Simple is only used for finished actions. If an action started in the past, but is not finished at
present, we do not use Past Simple.