Past Simple

The Past Simple is formed by the verb in the second column, and there is NO change
with he, she or it.
It is used to talk about actions that happened in the past. The moment when this actions
happened is said or implied. (I stayed at home yesterday). It is also used for past habits
(He rode his bike to school every day when he was a child).
The most common time expressions are: yesterday, last week/month/year, when, in
1995, in July
Questions in Past Simple
Yes/no questions are made with the auxiliary did (past form of the verb to do), the
subject (I, you, he) and the verb in the infinitive form (stay, go, walk). Then we can
add the place, time, etc.
The exception is the verb to be. In this case, the person goes after the subject.
Please note that the verb in the infinitive does not have the s for he, she and it.
For example:
Did you go to school today? Yes, I did / No, I didnt.
Did Mary get up early? Yes, she did / No, she didnt.
Was it a nice day? Yes, it was. / No, it wasnt.
Were you reading when I came in? Yes, I was. / No, I wasnt.

Types of verbs
According to how they form their past tense and past participle form (3rd column), there
are REGULAR verbs and IRREGULAR verbs.

Regular verbs are formed by the verb in the present with -d or -ed. Most verbs
are regular.

For example, you can say I like going to the cinema in the present, and I liked going
to the cinema in the past.
More examples of regular verbs:
Present Simple
She works four times a week.
The kids play in the park.
I always plan my holidays.
young).

Past Simple
She worked four times a week.
The kids played in the park.
I always planned my holidays (when I was

David cooks dinner for his wife. David cooked dinner for his wife (yesterday).
1

Susan arrives at six oclock.

Susan arrived at six oclock.

Note: Some verbs go with double consonant when the ed is added, but they are still regular. It
is just a spelling rule.

But irregular verbs are verbs that change in form (with no formula to predict
this change) or that have no change. They are very important and some are very
common.

For example, you can say I write a letter to my friend Anna in the present, and I wrote
a letter to my friend Anna in the past.
More examples of irregular verbs:
Present Simple
The bird flies in the forest.

Past Simple
The bird flew in the forest.

I eat an apple every day.

The hairdresser cut my hair today.
yesterday.

I ate an apple every day.

The

hairdresser

cut

my

hair

I have lunch with my mom (every Sunday)I had lunch with my mom (last night).
I get up early on Mondays.
Martha goes home by foot.

I got up early on Monday.

Martha went home by foot.

Negatives:

Didnt (did not) + verb in the infinitive.

Was and were have their own negatives: wasnt and werent (was not/were not)
The past form of do is did.

Examples:
I didnt want to buy that computer.
Carol didnt concentrate during the first hour of the exam.
I did a lot of housework last Sunday.
Verb to be:
I
You
He

am
are
is

She

is

It

is

was
were
was
was
was
2

We

are

were

You

are

were

They are

were