In English we use the past simple tense to talk about finished actions in the past.
We use 'did' as an auxiliary verb in negatives and questions and we often use the past simple with past time phrases such as 5 minutes ago, yesterday, last week, in the 1980s, and when I was a child.
Notes for use of past simple :
In English, to change verbs to the past tense, we add '-ed' to regular verbs. For example;
work --> worked
live --> lived
walk --> walked
If the verb ends in 'e', we drop the 'e' before adding '-ed'. For example;
dance --> danced
smile --> smiled
phone --> phoned
If the verb ends in a vowel + consonant, we double the last consonant. For example;
stop --> stopped
tag --> tagged
plan --> planned
If the verb has more than one syllable, we double the consonant at the end only if the last syllable is stressed. For example;
prefer --> preferred
permit --> permitted
regret --> regretted
If the last syllable of the verb is not stressed, we do not double the last consonant. For example;
visit --> visited
happen --> happened
develop --> developed
In British English, verbs ending in 'l' double the 'l' before '-ed' whether the last syllable is stressed or not. For example;
travel --> travelled
cancel --> cancelled
If the verb ends in a 'y' or a 'w', we do not double it when we add '-ed'. For example;
stay --> stayed
play --> played
sew --> sewed
In English we do not double the consonant if the verb has two vowels before the last consonant. For example;
boil --> boiled
explain --> explained
In English we also do not double the consonant if the verb ends in two consonants. For example;
help --> helped
start --> started
However, irregular verbs change to completely different words in the past tense. For example;
go --> went
take --> took
know --> knew
The table below shows the different forms of past simple :
Example Verb : live | I / You / We / They / He / She / It |
Positive | ... lived. |
Negative | ... didn't live. |
Questions | Did ... live? |
Short answers | Yes, ... did. / No, ... didn't. |
For the verb 'to be' we use 'was' and 'were'' in the past simple. No auxiliary verbs are used in negative sentences and questions.
Verb : Be | I / He / She / It | You / We / They |
Positive | ... was ... | ... were ... |
Negative | ... wasn't ... | ... weren't ... |
Questions | Was ... ... ? | Were ... ...? |
Short answers | Yes, ... was. / No, ... wasn't. | Yes, ... were. / No, ... weren't. |
Past Simple Example Sentences :
Positive Examples of Past Simple :
Negative Examples of Past Simple :
Question Examples of Past Simple :
Past simple example sentences | |
---|---|
When did you get here? I didn't see you. | .متى أتيت, لم أراك |
Then my phone rang and I went to the garden to talk. | .بعد ذلك رن هاتفي وذهبت إلى الحديقة لأتكلم |
Later on, I realized it was too crowded and noisy for me. | .لاحقًا، أدركت أنها مزدحمة للغاية ومزعجة بالنسبة لي |
Anyway, what did you say to the old lady? | على أي حال، ما الذي قلتيه للسيدة العجوز؟ |
This was the only one left on the shelf. | .هذا كان اخر ماتبقى على الرف |
After I had waited a while, I decided to knock on her door... | ...بعد الإنتظار لبعض الوقت، قررت أن اقوم بالطرق على بابها |
I went home and plugged my phone into the charger... | ...ذهبت إلى المنزل ووضعت هاتفي على الشاحن |
Why didn't you tell me that before? | لماذا لم تخبريني من قبل؟ |
For no reason? How did she go mental? | بدون أي سبب؟ كيف جن جنونها؟ |
Also I caught the wasp before they managed to get stung. | .أيضًا قمت بإمساك الدبور قبل أن يقوم بلدغهم |
Wow! Did you just agree to get a new house? | واو! هل وافقت للتو على الحصول على منزل جديد؟ |
We also tried to find a house for you a couple of weeks ago. | .حاولنا كذلك إيجاد منزل لك منذ اسبوعين |
Of course not, how did you come up with that idea? | بالطبع لا، من أين أتيت بهذه الفكرة؟ |
Oh, do you know what we forgot? | أوه، هل تعلم ما نسينا؟ |
No, I couldn't, I went to Sainsbury's, they didn't have it. | .لا لم أتمكن، لقد ذهبت الى سينبيرى، و لم يكن لديهم |
Basically, we were both in the kitchen last night... | ...في الأساس، كنا في المطبخ معًا الليلة الماضية |
I think we should move the desk back where it was before. | .أعتقد أنه يجب علينا نقل المكتب إلى حيثما كان من قبل |
What!? So you complained to Nick about our cat! | !ماذا!؟ إذا انتِ اشتكيتِ لنيك حول قطنا |
Nope, I'm okay, I just had something before I came. | .لا, انا بخير, لقد أكلت شيئاً قبل ان أتى |
It happened later in the movie, I mean the story. | .لقد حدث ذلك لاحقًا في الفيلم، أعني في القصة |