THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

1. USE: We use The Simple Past Tense to talk about an event in the PAST.

I played soccer football

He lived in London from 1970 to 1973. Then he moved to Manchester.
We didn’t go out Last night. We stayed at home.
Did you see Sarah yesterday? No, I didn’t

Now
Past ------------------ x ------------------------------------------------ Future
I arrived last night

2. The form of The Simple Past Tense is the same for all persons. Look at the
structure:

Affirmative form

Base form Subject Positive

Watch I Watched
Clean We Cleaned
Play You Played
Do They Did
Go He Went
Have She Had
Begin It Began

Examples:
I visited my sister last night
The children played in the park
John opened the store early

Negative form

Subject Negative Base form

I Watch
We Clean
You Did not Play
They ( didn’t ) Do
He Go
She Have
It Begin

Examples: We didn’t stay at a hotel

I didn’t watch TV last night
Ann didn’t study for the exam
 Questions: Yes / No questions

Questions Subject Base form

I Watch……?
We Clean……?
You Play……?
Did They Do……?
He Go……?
She Have……?
It Begin……?

Short answers

Yes, I / we / you / they did. No, I / we / you / they didn’t.

She / he / it She / he / it

Examples:
Did she go out last night? Yes
Did your friends enjoy the party?
Did you work when you were at the college?

Questions: Wh – Questions or Questions information

Question word Auxiliary Subject Base form

What you do………..?
Where she stay………?
Who he teach…….?
Why did they come late……?
When it break…….?
How Pete Meet ……….?
Which hat you buy……….?

Examples:
What did you do yesterday? I went out with some friends
Where did she stay? She stayed at her cousin’s house
When did you get back? I arrived yesterday morning

3. In The Simple Past Tense you can use Regular verbs ( in the past just add
d or ed to them ) or Irregular verbs ( in the past they change their form ).
I watch TV every night I watched TV the long day
Dave comes home early Dave came home late yesterday
4. For Regulars verbs add ( d, ed ). But you have to follow some important
rules:
a. If the verb ends in e, add d.

Arrive – arrived Move - Moved

Like – liked Smile - Smiled

b. If the verb ends in a Consonant, add ed.

Work – worked Help – helped

Watch – watched Visit – visited
Kiss – kissed Happen – Happened
Rain – rained Open – opened

c. But if the verbs ends in a consonant + y, change the y to i and add

ed.

Worry – Worried
Study – studied
Carry – carried

d. If the verb ends in a vowel + y, don’t change the y to i, just add ed.

Play – played
Annoy – annoyed
Enjoy – enjoyed

e. If a one – syllable verb ends in a consonant + vowel + consonant

( CVC ), double the last consonant and add ed.

Stop – stopped Hug – hugged

Plan – planned Rub – rubbed

f. If a two – syllable verb ends in a consonant + vowel + consonant,

double the last consonant only if the last syllable is stressed.

Refer – referred ( the last syllable is stressed )

Prefer – preferred ( the last syllable is stressed, too )

But careful !!!

Enter - entered ( the last syllable is not stressed )

g. However don’t double the last consonant if it ends in w, x, or y.

Bow – bowed
Mix – mixed
 Play – played
Snow – snowed
Enjoy – enjoyed

h. Exceptions:

Say – said
Pay – paid
Lay – laid ( these are irregular verbs )

5. In The Simple Past Tense you can use Past Time Expressions if you want
to be specific. They can go at the beginning or at the end.

YESTERDAY LAST AGO

(a) Bob came back.. (b) Sue got back… (c) Joe came back...
Yesterday Last night Five minutes ago
Yesterday morning Last week Two hours ago
Yesterday afternoon Last month Three days ago
Yesterday evening Last year a ( one ) week ago
Last spring six months ago
Last summer a ( one ) ago
Last fall
Last winter

Last Monday
Last Tuesday
etc..

Something more…..
The day before yesterday
A little while ago
A few minutes ago

6. Today, this morning, this afternoon, and this evening can be Past Time
Expressions if they mean “ before now “.

I studied grammar today. ( it’s now 9:00 pm. I studied it in the afternoon )
This morning I listened to the news. ( it is now afternoon )

7. Pronunciation rules:

a. The final sounds for regular verbs in The Simple Past Tense are / t / ,
/ d / , / Id /.

b. Sound “ D ”, when the verb ends in b, g, l, m, n, r, v, w, y or

equivalent sounds. Example:
 Ordered
Called
etc..

c. Sound “ T ”, when it ends in c, ch, f, k, p, s, sh, x or equivalent

sounds. Example:

Noticed
Asked
etc..

d. Sound “ Id ”, when it ends in d or t. Example:

Added
Counted
etc…