subject + past verbIn affirmative past sentences, use the past form of the main verb.
Past Simple
A1Past Simple talks about finished actions at a clear past time. Use past verb forms in affirmatives and did for most negatives and questions.
What you'll learn
- Choose Past Simple for finished actions at a definite past time.
- Build affirmative past forms of regular verbs with -ed.
- Use was and were correctly with be in the past.
- Make negatives with didn't plus the base verb.
- Ask yes-no questions with Did plus subject plus base verb.
- Recognize markers like yesterday, last year, and two days ago.
Structure
subject + did + not + base verbDid carries the past meaning; the main verb stays in the base form.
Did + subject + base verb + ?Put Did first, then the subject, then the base verb.
subject + was/were + complementWith be, use was or were. Do not use did with affirmative be sentences.
Build a sentence
Subject
Verb
Sheworked
She worked yesterday.
Regular verb: add -ed.
When to use
Finished actions
Actions that started and ended in the past. Anna called her friend last night.
Definite past time
Use it when the time is stated or understood: yesterday, last month, in 2021, an hour ago.
Past sequence
A chain of completed actions in the past. Tom opened the door, walked in, and sat down.
Markers
yesterdaylast nightlast weektwo days agoin 2020an hour ago
Spelling
most verbs
→ + edwork → workedends in -e
→ + dlive → livedconsonant + y
→ drop y, + iedstudy → studiedIn contrast
vs present-perfect-simple
Past Simple = finished action at a definite past time. Present Perfect = past action linked to now, with no finished time word like yesterday.
Common mistakes
Wrong
Yesterday Tom work from home.
Correct
Yesterday Tom worked from home.
In an affirmative past sentence, a regular verb needs its past form.
Wrong
Lisa didn't watched TV.
Correct
Lisa didn't watch TV.
After didn't, use the base verb, not the past form.
Wrong
Did Tom worked yesterday?
Correct
Did Tom work yesterday?
After Did, the main verb stays in the base form.
Wrong
They was late yesterday.
Correct
They were late yesterday.
Use were with you, we, and they.
Wrong
We goed home early.
Correct
We went home early.
Go is irregular. Its past form is went, not goed.
Common misconceptions
❝ To make any past sentence, I need did. ❞
Use did for most negatives and questions. Affirmative past sentences use the past verb form, and be uses was or were.
❝ After did, the main verb should also be in the past. ❞
Did already shows the past. The main verb after did stays in the base form.
Skills in this rule (8)
USE_FOR_FINISHED_PASTw5Use Past Simple for finished actions at a definite past time
Use Past Simple when the action is complete and the time is finished or clear: yesterday, last week, in 2022, two days ago.
ADD_ED_FOR_REGULAR_VERBSw5Add -ed to regular verbs in affirmative sentences
For regular verbs, use the past form with -ed in affirmative sentences about finished past actions.
SPELL_ED_D_IEDw4Choose -ed, -d, or -ied based on the verb ending
Most regular verbs add -ed. Verbs ending in -e add -d. A consonant + y changes to -ied.
USE_WAS_WEREw5Use was and were with be in the past
Use was with I, he, she, it and were with you, we, they in past statements and questions with be.
NEG_DID_NOT_BASEw5Build negatives with did not plus the base verb
Use did not or didn't for negatives with most verbs. After did, the main verb stays in the base form.
QUESTIONS_DID_BASEw5Ask yes-no questions with Did plus subject plus base verb
Start the question with Did, then use the subject and the base verb. Do not use the past form after Did.
IRREGULAR_COMMON_FORMSw4Use common irregular past forms
Some common verbs change completely in the past: go → went, have → had, eat → ate, see → saw.
PICK_PAST_TIME_MARKERSw3Recognize finished past time markers
Words and phrases like yesterday, last night, in 2019, and two hours ago point to a finished past time.