This lesson focuses on the Past Simple tense. You will learn how to form and use the Past Simple for both regular and irregular verbs, form negative sentences and questions, and describe completed actions in the past using time expressions.
Learning Outcomes
Form regular and irregular verbs in the Past Simple.
Understand spelling rules for regular verb endings.
Create negative sentences and questions using "did" and "didn't".
Use the Past Simple to describe completed actions in the past.
Recognize time expressions used with Past Simple (e.g. yesterday, last night).
Forming the Past Simple
Regular verbs: Add -ed to the base verb (e.g. walk → walked).
Verbs ending in -e: add -d (e.g. live → lived)
Verbs ending in consonant + -y: change -y to -ied (e.g. try → tried)
Verbs with one vowel + one consonant: double the consonant (e.g. stop → stopped)
Irregular verbs: Change form completely (e.g. go → went, take → took).
Negatives and Questions
Use didn't + base verb for negatives:
I didn't understand the question.
Use Did + subject + base verb for questions:
Did you watch the film?
Usage of Past Simple
To describe a completed action in the past: Chris phoned me yesterday.
To describe a sequence of actions: We walked to the park and played tennis.
With time expressions: last night, yesterday, in 2002
To describe a situation that lasted for a period and ended: I lived in Rome for two years.
Examples
He went to the store yesterday.
They didn't like the movie.
Did you see the news?
We played football last weekend.
Practice
Now it’s your turn! Try exercises to check your understanding of the Past Simple tense.