PAST SIMPLE

Usage
The Past Simple is a tense used for finished past events or situations. It can be seen as a point in time

Formation We have to divide the verbs into 1) Regular verbs: most English verbs are regular 2) Irregular verbs 3) To be

FIRST PART REGULAR AND IRREGULAR VERBS

AFFIRMATIVE

FORMATION (REGULAR VERBS): AFFIRMATIVE

AFFIRMATIVE: LOOK
I you he she it we you they looked looked looked looked looked looked looked looked

 PRONUNCIATION OF THE _ED ENDING

1) After a voiceless sound=> /t/

worked, laughed, touched 2) After a voiced sound => /d/ changed, cleaned, travelled 3) After a final /t/ sound od /d/ sound = / d/ painted, loaded Now, write and pronounce the following past regular forms.
PLAY TRUST CRY MIX PLOT BUZZ BLAME BLEND BEG PASS

FORMATION (IRREGULAR VERBS): AFFIRMATIVE

AFFIRMATIVE: GO I went

AFFIRMATIVE: TAKE
I you he she it we took took took took took took

AFFIRMATIVE: SEE I saw

you he
she it we you they

went went
went went went went went

you he
she it we you they

saw saw
saw saw saw saw saw

you they

took took

 In the affirmative, we have to make a

distinction between regular and irregular verbs. Regular verbs form their Past Simple by adding the ending _(e)d Irregular verbs dont follow any logical pattern, so you have to memorise them. However, the group of irregular verbs is VERY small.

NEGATIVE

FORMATION NEGATIVE
NEGATIVE: LOOK NEGATIVE: GO

I you he she it we you they

did not did not did not did not did not did not did not did not

look look look look look look look look

I you he she it we you they

did not did not did not did not did not did not did not did not

go go go go go go go go

 As you can see, you DONT need to make

a distinction between regular and irregular verbs in the negative. You use did not (or the contracted form didnt, except in formal writing) FOLLOWED BY THE INFINITIVE. (verb with no ending)

QUESTIONS

FORMATION 3: QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS

(WH_) Where

DID did Did

SUBJECT he you

INFINITIVE live? give

REST

me my money? by bus?

Why

did

your parents go

Did

Marta

enjoy

the party?

SECOND PART TO BE

FORMATION(TO BE): AFFIRMATIVE

AFFIRMATIVE

I you he she it we you they

was were was was was were were were

FORMATION (TO BE): NEGATIVE

AFFIRMATIVE

I you he she it we you they

was were was was was were were were

not not not not not not not not

FORMATION 3: QUESTIONS
QUESTIONS

(WH_) Where

DID was Were

SUBJECT he you

INFINITIVE born? sad

REST

yesterday? at you?

Why

were

your parents angry

Was

Marta

blond

in the past?

Te verb TO BE is special because it is has two forms in the Past Simple (was/ were) Most other verbs only have one.

Remember : 1) NEVER use did/ didnt with the verb to be. 2) You can always use the contracted forms wasnt/ werent (except in formal writing)