Past simple – talks about a one-time action in the past

Past simple present future

Form:

S + verb – d/ed (regular verbs) I danced

S + 2nd form (irregular verbs) I did

 Suffix d/ed

Spelling rules for regular verbs:

1. Verbs end in a stressed vowel + consonant, the consonant will be doubled and we add the suffix
ed
Plan – planned / stop – stopped
2. Verbs end in y:
a. Vowel +y – we add the suffix ed play – played
b. Consonant +y – y is replaced by I + ed cry – cried
3. Verbs end in l – we double l + ed travel – travelled

Pronunciation:

id – for verbs ending in t/d sounds – visited, decided

t – for verbs ending in s, sh, tch, p, c, f sounds – pressed, washed, watched, stopped, cooked, laughed

d – the rest of the verbs – cleaned, roamed

Use:

1. Repetitive actions in the past, with the use of adverbs of frequency and time expressions (see
present simple): We always drank milk when we were 5 years old.
2. Actions that are completed in the past, with the use of time expressions to show that the action
is definitely finished in the past: yesterday, two days ago, last week, last month, last year, etc;
when I was young, when I lived in Berlin, when I was 5, last January, last winter, etc. I dreamt a
scary dream last night.
3. After a past perfect action, to show which action comes second: I had finished the book before
you knocked on the door.