Past simple

I) Regular verbs
You have to add –ed to the infinitive.
Infinitive Past simple Past participle The past participle is used in
walk walked walked the present perfect. You’ll
talk talked talked study this tense next year.
ask asked asked

The auxiliary did is used for negative and interrogative sentences.

Affirmative sentence Negative sentence Interrogative sentence
Peter walked to the station. Peter didn’t walk to the station. Did Peter walk to the station?
We talked to Sally. We didn’t talk to Sally. Did we talk to Sally?
They asked Paul a question. They didn’t ask Paul a question. Did they ask Paul a question?

Notes:
1. The third person singular has no –s.
2. In negative and interrogative sentences, the past is in the auxiliary did, so we don’t add –ed to
the infinitive.

II) Spelling changes

1. If the infinitive finishes in –e, it disappears:
Live – lived smoke – smoked smile – smiled
2. If the verb has one syllable, with the structure consonant + vowel + consonant,
R u n
the last consonant is doubled.
Rob – robbed beg – begged stop – stopped
3. If the verb finishes in consonant + -y, then the y changes into -i. If the verb ends in vowel + -y, the -y
stays the same:
Study – studied play - played

III) Regular past tense pronunciation

The final –ed can be pronounced in three different ways: /t/, /d/ and /id/.
If the infinitive finishes in t or d, then the ending is pronounced /id/: want, need, decide, rent, hate.
For the rest of the verbs, just pronounce the infinitive and try to make a t/d sound after it.

© Núria Abad Riva

Grammar Sheet 13
Level A1 – Elementary
EOI Martorell
 IV) Irregular verbs
Please, see and study the photocopy on irregular verbs.

V) Short answers
Did you go to Mary’s? Yes, I did / No, I didn’t
Did they eat spaghetti? Yes, they did / No, they didn’t
Was Mary ill? Yes, she was / No, she wasn’t
Were they tired? Yes, they were / No, they weren’t

VI) Past time expressions

Yesterday
month
Last Year PAY ATTENTION! Without article!
Week The last month, the last year, the last week
...

Five minutes ago

Two days ago Always at the end!!!
Six years ago

© Núria Abad Riva

Grammar Sheet 13
Level A1 – Elementary
EOI Martorell