How to use the past simple

2. Simple Past Tense
uses
1. Completed actions
• To talk about events, actions or situations which
occurred in the past and are now finished, and the
time reference must be given.
•I walked with Julian yesterday.
•It must be understood from the context:
•I saw Peter in town. (i.e. when I was there this morning)
•I never met my grandfather. (i.e. he is dead)

3. Simple Past Tense
uses
2. Past habit
Like used to, the simple past can be used to describe past habits.
• I smoked forty cigarettes a day until I gave up.
I used to smoke
3. The immediate past
To describe something that happened a very short time ago:
• Jimmy punched me in the stomach.
• Did the telephone ring?
• Who left the door open?

4. Time signals
Last
night Last
Yesterday
summer
I saw Jane yesterday/last summer.
Ten a long time
ago minutes ago
Two years ago
ago
I met Robert many years ago in Berlin.

5. Regular verbs form
Ed for all persons
Play played
Work worked
Stay stayed
listen listened

6. Spelling
1. Verbs ending in -e add only d:
Phone phoned.
Smile smiled.
Love loved.
2. Verbs not ending in -e add -ed:.
Ask asked
Clean cleaned
Follow followed

7. Spelling
3. Short verbs ending in one vowel + one consonant
Stop stopped
Beg begged
4.Verbs ending in consonant + y
study studied
cry cried
try tried.

8. Simple Past Tense
affirmative
Regular Verbs (ED) Irregular Verbs
I played I went
You played You went
He played He went
She played She went
It played It went
We played We went
You played You went
They played They went

9. Simple Past Tense
Negative
Regular Verbs Irregular Verbs
(didn´t + verb) (didn´t+ verb)
I didn´t play I didn´t go
You didn´t play You didn´t go
He didn´t play He didn´t go
She didn´t play She didn´t go
It didn´t play It didn´t go
We didn´t play We didn´t go
You didn´t play You didn´t go
They didn´t play They didn´t go

10. Simple Past Tense
Interrogative
Regular Verbs Irregular Verbs
(did+ subject + verb) (did+subject + verb)
did I play? Did I go?
Did you play? Did you go?
Did he play? Did he go?
Did she play? Did she go?
Did it play? Did it go?
Did we play? Did we go?
Did you play? Did You go?
Did they play? Did they go?

11. Simple Past Tense
Irregular Verbs
TO BE
I was Infinitive Past
You were tense
He,she,it was Have Had
We were Do Did
They were

12. Simple Past Tense
Irregular Verbs
Verbs which don t Cut cut
change: Hit hit
Fit fit
Verbs which their Get got
vowel change: Sit sat
Drink drank
Verbs which change Go went
completely Bring brought
Teach taught

13. I gave (give ) the boy a present last year.
Peter drove (drive) to Baltimore last Sunday.
We enjoyed (enjoy) our vacation last summer.
It rained (rain) a lot here yesterday.
They received (receive) a letter two months ago.
Father told (tell) the boy a story last night.
Mother made (make) an apple pie in may.