THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

GRAMMAR

IES Jardín de Málaga. 1ºESO

SUMMARY

 Idea.
 Words.
 Regular Verbs.
 Spelling.
 Pronounciation.
 Irregular Verbs.
 Affirmative, negative and questions.

IES Jardín de Málaga. 1ºESO

IDEA

 We use the Past simple tense to describe

an action that took place in the past.

 This action is Short and Finished.

IES Jardín de Málaga. 1ºESO

WORDS
 These are some words and expressions
that usually appear with a verb in the Past
Simple.
 Last ………..
 ……..ago
 Yesterday
 In 1986

IES Jardín de Málaga. 1ºESO

REGULAR VERBS.

 To write the past simple of a regular verb

we add “-ed” to the base form.

 Work Worked
 Play Played
 Paint Painted

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SPELLING RULES
 To avoid spelling mistakes we must
remember three rules:
 After consonat+vowel+consonant we
double the last consonant when the
syllable is stressed.
 Stop Stopped
 Clap Clapped

IES Jardín de Málaga. 1ºESO

SPELLING RULES
 When the verb ends in –e, we drop the –e
and add the sufix.

 Move Moved
 Rule Ruled
 Live Lived

IES Jardín de Málaga. 1ºESO

SPELLING RULES

 When the verb ends in consonant+y we

drop the “y” and write “i+ed”.

 Cry Cried
 Try Tried

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PRONOUNCIATION RULES
 There are 3 ways to pronounce “ –ed”

 /d/
 /t/
 /id/

IES Jardín de Málaga. 1ºESO

PRONOUNCIATION RULES
 We pronounce /d/ after vowel or voiced
sound (b,g,l,m,v,).

 Play Played /d/

 Beg Begged /d/
 Live Lived /d/

IES Jardín de Málaga. 1ºESO

PRONOUNCIATION RULES
 We pronounce /t/ after voiceless sound:
/p/ /k/ /ch/

 Work Worked /t/

 Stop Stopped /t/

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PRONOUNCIATION RULES

 We pronounce /id/ after the sounds /t/

and /d/.

 Start Started /id/

 End Ended /id/

IES Jardín de Málaga. 1ºESO

IRREGULAR VERBS
 Most verbs are regular. But there are also
irregular verbs. You must study the List of
Irregular verbs to use them.
 Choose the Second Column.

 Break Broke Broken

 Do Did Done
 Write Wrote Written
IES Jardín de Málaga. 1ºESO
AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES
 We use the same form with different
subjects to express the past.

 She broke her leg

 I found a job
 We worked together
 You stopped the car.

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AUXILIARY VERB
 The auxiliary verb for the past simple is
“DID”.

 When we use the auxiliary verb “did” or

“didn´t” the main verb is written in the
infinitive.

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NEGATIVE SENTENCES
 We write didn´t in front of the verb.
Remember the verb in the infinitive.
 I didn´t study for my exams.
 They didn´t bring the flowers
 She didn´t stop the car.
 The programme didn´t begin one hour
ago.

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QUESTIONS IN THE PAST SIMPLE
 We write didn´t in front of the subject. The
main verb is written in the infinitive.

 Did you come yesterday?

 Did you hear the noise?
 Did she open the present?

IES Jardín de Málaga. 1ºESO