Simple Past Tense

Simple Past- -Diagrams We use the Simple Past when we talk about something which started and finished in the past.

We use the Simple Past to describe a series of actions in the past. We use the Simple Past (red) together with the Past Progressive (grey). The action in the Simple Past interrupted the action in the Past Progressive (the one which was in progress).

When do we use the Past Simple Tense?

USE 1: Completed Action in the Past Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind. Examples: I saw a movie yesterday. I didn't see a play yesterday. Last year, I traveled to Japan. Last year, I didn't travel to Korea. Did you have dinner last night? She washed her car. He didn't wash his car.

USE 2: A Series of Completed Actions We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on. Examples: I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim. He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00. Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?

USE 3: Duration in Past The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc. Examples: I lived in Brazil for two years. Shauna studied Japanese for five years. They sat at the beach all day. They did not stay at the party the entire time. We talked on the phone for thirty minutes. A: How long did you wait for them? B: We waited for one hour.

USE 4: Habits in the Past The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc. Examples: I studied French when I was a child. He played the violin. He didn't play the piano. Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid? She worked at the movie theater after school. They never went to school, they always skipped class.

USE 5: Past Facts or Generalizations The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true. As in USE 4 above, this use of the Simple Past is quite similar to the expression "used to." Examples: She was shy as a child, but now she is very outgoing. He didn't like tomatoes before. Did you live in Texas when you were a kid? People paid much more to make cell phone calls in the past.

Typical expressions used with Past Simple Tense: yesterday the day before two days ago last week last month last year a year ago 3 years ago then once

Form of the Simple Past Tense

Form of the Simple Past We form the Simple Past: - with regular verbs: infinitive + -ed - with irregular verbs: 2nd column of the table of the irregular verbs I You He He arrived late last night. She (regular verb) It We They came back late last night. You (irregular verb) They

Form of the Simple Past Affirmative We use the the same form of the verb every time regardless the subject. regular verbs : I played football. She talked with him. They travelled to London. irregular verbs : I went to the supermarket. He wrote this book. We bought a car yesterday.

Form of the Simple Past Negative We use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of do) every time regardless the subject. regular verbs: I did not play football. She did not talk with him. irregular verbs : I did not go to the supermarket He did not write this book. NOTE!: We often use short forms in negative sentences in the Simple Past. regular verbs: I didn't play football. She didn’t talk with him. irregular verbs : I didn’t go to the supermarket He didn’t write this book.

Form of the Simple Past Questions We use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of do) every time regardless the subject. irregular verbs: Did I go to the supermarket? Did he write this book? Did you broke your leg yesterday? regular verbs : Did you play football? Did she talk with him? Did they travel to London?

Form of the Simple Past Short Answers We use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of do) every time regardless the subject. Did I eat breakfast? Yes, I did. No, I didn't. Did he eat breakfast? Yes, he did. No, he didn't. Did she eat breakfast? Yes, she did. No, she didn't. Did it eat breakfast? Yes, it did. No, it didn't. Did we eat breakfast? Yes, we did. No, we didn't. Did you eat breakfast? Yes, you did. No, you didn't. Did they eat breakfast? Yes, they did. No, they didn't.

SPELLING Regular Verbs Add -ed with regular verbs. regular verbs: Infinitive + -ed Sometimes the are exceptions in spelling when adding –ed : 1) consonant after short, stressed vowel at the end of the word: Double the consonant. Ex. stop – stopped swap - swapped

SPELLING 2) one -e at the end of the word: Add only -d. Example: love – loved save – saved 3) verbs ending in -y verbs ending in 'y' preceded by a vowel (a, e, i, o, u): Add -ed. Example: play - played verbs ending in 'y' preceded by a consonant: Change 'y' to 'i' Then add -ed. Example: hurry - hurried

2nd column of the table of the irregular verbs SPELLING Iregular Verbs You have to know all forms of the irregular verbs. For the Simple Past you need the form of the verb which can be found in the 2nd column of the table of the irregular verbs. irregular verbs: 2nd column of the table of the irregular verbs Examples: Be - was/were - been Come – came - come Give – gave - given Know – knew - known See – saw - seen

Pronunciation of the ending -ed in the Simple Past In the Simple Past we add -ed to regular verbs. Be careful pronuncing the verbs: 1) verbs ending in -ed preceded by a voiceless consonant [p, k, f, ʃ, ʧ, s, θ] - speak [t]. The -e is silent. Example: I stop - I stopped [stɒpt] 2) verbs ending in -ed preceded by a voiced consonant [b, g, v, ʒ, ʤ, z, ð, l, m, n] or a vowel - speak [d]. The -e is silent. Example: I clean - I cleaned [kli:nd] 3) verbs ending in -ed preceded by [t] or [d] - speak [ɪd]. The -e changes to [ɪ]. Example: I visit - I visited [vɪzɪtɪd]

Thank you for your attention! Author: Nina Markowicz