Past Simple
The Past Simple narrates completed actions and events that happened at a specific time in the past. It gives stories their shape by marking what occurred and when.
Usage
Use the Past Simple for actions that started and ended in the past, habits that no longer continue, and sequences of past events. It can also set the scene with background details.
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Formation
The Past Simple typically adds -ed to regular verbs, while irregular verbs follow various patterns you learn by practice. Questions and negatives use did plus the base form.
Regular Verbs
Regular verbs form the Past Simple by adding -ed to the base form. This pattern applies consistently, making them easy to remember and apply.
| English Word(s) | English Translation(s) |
|---|---|
| to walk | walked |
| to play | played |
| to clean | cleaned |
| English Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🍳 I cooked breakfast yesterday. | I cooked breakfast yesterday. |
| 🧴 She cleaned the counter last night. | She cleaned the counter last night. |
| 🥣 They washed the dishes after dinner. | They washed the dishes after dinner. |
| 🛒 He ordered groceries online. | He ordered groceries online. |
| 📦 We packed lunches this morning. | We packed lunches this morning. |
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Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs do not follow the -ed pattern and must be learned individually. They are common and important for telling natural stories in the past.
| English Word(s) | English Word(s) | English Word(s) |
|---|---|---|
| to go | went | gone |
| to eat | ate | eaten |
| to see | saw | seen |
| English Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🍞 I ate two slices of bread. | I ate two slices of bread. |
| ☕ She drank coffee before work. | She drank coffee before work. |
| 🔥 They lighted the grill last weekend. | They lit the grill last weekend. |
| 🗑️ He took out the trash after dinner. | He took out the trash after dinner. |
| 🗝️ We found a coupon on the table. | We found a coupon on the table. |
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Questions and Negatives
Questions and negatives in the Past Simple use did plus the base form of the verb. This makes the construction uniform even with irregular verbs.
| Function | Example | Structure |
|---|---|---|
| Question | Did you travel? | Did + subject + base verb |
| Negative | I did not travel. | Subject + did not + base verb |
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Signal Words
Signal words help identify when to use the Past Simple. They often refer to specific times or completed periods, anchoring the action firmly in the past.
| Signal Word | Usage |
|---|---|
| yesterday | specific day in the past |
| last week | completed time period |
| two days ago | exact time before now |
| in 2010 | specific year in the past |
| English Example | English Translation |
|---|---|
| 🌅 I woke up early yesterday. | I woke up early yesterday. |
| 🌃 She went home late last night. | She went home late last night. |
| 🍽️ They ate dinner an hour ago. | They ate dinner an hour ago. |
| 🧼 He didn’t wash his hands before cooking. | He didn’t wash his hands before cooking. |
| 🚫 We didn’t order food yesterday. | We didn’t order food yesterday. |
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Summary
The Past Simple expresses completed actions, past habits, and sequences of events. Regular verbs add -ed, irregular verbs must be learned, and questions/negatives use did plus the base form.
Last updated: Sun Sep 14, 2025