Grammar Past simple positive

Use
• We use the past simple to talk about finished Tip
actions in the past.
When we use the past simple, we often say when the action
happened:
The movie started ten minutes ago.
I got up at seven o’clock this morning.

Guide

Last year, I went on holiday

with my family. We visited
Rome. It was very hot!

• When we tell a story and we talk about the order of events, we often use
sequencing words like first, then, next, after that, and in the end.

First, we got a sightseeing bus. Then we took lots of photos. After that, we ate
an ice cream. In the end, we were really tired!

Form
• We form the past simple of regular verbs like this:
Subject + verb + -ed.

Past simple: regular verbs

Subject verb + -ed

I
You
He / She / It walked to the beach yesterday.
We
They

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 Grammar Past simple positive

• The spelling of the regular past simple depends on the form of the verb.
Past simple: regular verbs
Verb rule example

most verbs add -ed finish ➞ finished

verb ending in -e add -d move ➞ moved

verb ending in -y delete y, add -ied study ➞ studied

short verb ending in consonant double consonant, add -ed stop ➞ stopped

• Some verbs are irregular. There are no spelling rules for these. They all have
different past simple forms.

Past simple: irregular verbs

Verb past simple form Verb past simple form

be was / were go went

can could have had

do did make made

eat ate see saw

get got take took

Tip

Was is the past simple form of be for I, he, she, and it. Were is the past simple form of be for you, we,
and they:
I was at home yesterday evening. You were at home, too.
For all other regular and irregular verbs, the past simple form is always the same:
I did my homework. You did your homework, too.

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