Form
Positive — regular verbs
| Subject | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| All subjects | verb + -ed | I worked yesterday. |
Negative
| Subject | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| All subjects | subject + didn't + base | I didn't work yesterday. |
Questions
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Yes/No | Did + subject + base? | Did you work yesterday? |
| Wh- | Wh- + did + subject + base? | Where did you work? |
Remember:
In negatives and questions, use the base verb (no -ed): "Did she work?" (NOT "Did she worked?")
Spelling rules for -ed
| Rule | When | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Add -ed | Most verbs | work → worked, play → played |
| Add -d | Ends in -e | live → lived, love → loved |
| -y → -ied | Consonant + y | study → studied, cry → cried |
| Double consonant + -ed | CVC pattern, stressed last syllable | stop → stopped, plan → planned |
Use
| Use | Examples |
|---|---|
| Completed action at a specific time |
I watched a film last night.
She called me at 3 p.m.
|
| Series of past events |
He woke up, had breakfast and went to work.
|
| Past habits or states (no longer true) |
We lived in Buenos Aires for ten years.
She played the piano when she was a child.
|
Common irregular verbs
These verbs do not add -ed. You need to learn them by heart.
| Base | Past Simple | Base | Past Simple |
|---|---|---|---|
| be | was / were | know | knew |
| have | had | take | took |
| go | went | make | made |
| come | came | say | said |
| get | got | see | saw |
| give | gave | think | thought |
| do | did | buy | bought |
| find | found | leave | left |
Signal words
These words often appear with the Past Simple:
yesterday
last night / week / year
ago (two days ago)
in 2010
when I was a child
at 3 p.m.
in the morning
Exercises
Practice what you've just learned:
Exercise 1 — Fill in the blank
Write the correct Past Simple form.
1.
Last night I (watch) a great film.
2.
She (not / go) to school yesterday.
3.
(you / see?) the match last weekend?
4.
He (study) for three hours.
5.
We (go) to the beach last summer.
Exercise 2 — Choose the correct option
Select the correct verb form.
1. She _____ at 7 a.m. this morning.
2. They _____ their homework last night.
3. _____ he play football as a child?
4. I _____ my keys this morning.