WEEK 4

SIMPLE PAST TENSE (VERB 2)

 SIMPLE PAST TENSE (VERB 2)

We use this tense to talk about things that happened in the past.

Grandpa played with marbles when he was young.

People used oil lamps in the evenings fifty years ago.

 SIMPLE PAST TENSE (WAS/WERE)

If there is no action in the sentence, we use ‘was’ or ‘were’ as the verb.

am / is / are  was / were

I was short. There weren’t any air-cons.

 SIMPLE PAST TENSE (VERB 2)

This tense has only one verb.

There are two kinds of past tense verbs:

1. Regular verbs
2. Irregular verbs
Regular verbs
Spelling rules Examples
walk  walked
base form + ed
play  played
like  liked
verbs ending in -e + d
move  moved
verbs ending in a consonant + y carry  carried
 study  studied
change y  i + ed
Some verbs ending in plan  planned
a single consonant + stop  stopped
the second last letter is a vowel
 double the last letter + ed
Irregular verbs
Spelling rules Examples

no change in base form put  put

cut  cut

go  went
different spelling from the eat  ate
base form wear  wore
come  came
Hint words:

yesterday last night

last Sunday last year
ago
yesterday
last year
last night

50 years ago last Sunday Now

 Sample of Simple Past Tense in Use

Yesterday Debbie had a job interview.  She went downtown to the

company. The interview was for an accounting job. Debbie graduated from
university 3 months ago. Her interview was at 10:00 am. She woke up at
7:00 am and left her house before 8:00 am. She waited for the bus, but it was
late. She was very worried because she did not want to be late for the
interview. She tried to phone the company to warn them, but her phone
battery was dead.
 Sample of Simple Past Tense in Use

When the bus arrived, it was almost 9:00 am. Then the bus was slow
because there were many other cars. The bus finally arrived at Debbie's stop
at 9:45 am. Debbie ran from the bus stop to the office building. When she
entered she saw a sign that said the company was on the 24th floor. The
elevator ride took almost 5 minutes because many people stopped at
different floors.  
 Sample of Simple Past Tense in Use

When Debbie arrived at reception, it was 9:58. She was in time!  

"I am here to see Mrs. Lewis" said Debbie. The receptionist checked her
book and replied:  
“She is not here today.  What is your name please?”
“My name is Debbie Gregson.”
“Sorry Debbie, but your appointment is tomorrow.”
Debbie checked her agenda. It was true. She was there on the wrong day!
 Negative sentences
We add ‘did not’ to make the sentence negative.
Don’t change the verb after did not.

He charged his phone last night.

 + not
He did not charge his phone last night.
 Affirmative & Negative

Asep went to campus yesterday, but I did not go to campus.

I slept well last night, but my sister did not sleep well.

Father called me two hours ago, but mother did not call two hours ago.
 Affirmative & Interrogative

Asep went to campus yesterday.

Did you go to campus yesterday?

I slept well last night.

Did your sister sleep well last night?

Father called me two hours ago.

Did mother call you two hours ago?
Questions
We use ‘did ’ to make questions.
Don’t change the verb after did.
you
surf the Net yesterday?
he
Did go to school last Monday?
she
wear trainers 50 years ago?
people

I
Yes, did.
he
she
No, didn’t.
they
Questions
We use ‘WH Question words + did ’ to make
questions

Where did go yesterday?

you
What did eat for breakfast this morning?

I went to Jakarta

I ate a banana.