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 | |
---|---|
I saw a coffee shop just outside the station. | İstasyonun hemen dışında bir kafe gördüm. |
No, it seems I'd forgotten to charge it before I left. | Hayır, galiba çıkmadan önce şarj etmeyi unutmuşum. |
I hope it wasn't an expensive wine! | Umarım pahalı bi' şarap değildi! |
I'm still shocked... I can't believe what I just heard! | Hala şoktayım... Duyduklarıma inanamıyorum! |
You didn't tell me anything about that... | Bana bununla ilgili hiçbir şey söylemedin... |
What made you change your mind? | Fikrini değiştiren ne oldu? |
How come? We just called this morning! | Nasıl olur? Daha bu sabah aramıştık! |
But I lost all of my pictures and contacts on my phone. | Ama telefonumdaki bütün resimlerimi ve iletişim bilgilerini kaybettim. |
Anyway, I called the girl again, and of course, she didn't answer. | Herneyse, kızı tekrar aradım, ve tabii ki cevap vermedi. |
Basically everything, it was like a haunted hippie house. | Aslında her şey, perili bir hippi evi gibiydi. |
That's right, how did we forget that? | Hakkaten, nasıl unuttuk ki bunu? |
We talked on the phone before. | Önceden telefonda konuşmuştuk. |
I can't believe you, where did you get it from? | Sana inanamıyorum, bunu nereden aldın? |
It was my mistake accepting the job to work with them. | Onlarla birlikte çalışmayı kabul etmek benim hatamdı. |
The water spilled all over the bench, too! | Tezgahın her yerine de sıçramış ya! |
Oh, do you know what we forgot? | Ah, ne unuttuk biliyor musun? |
I can see why the f*cking toilet got clogged now! | Şimdi niye s*ktiğimin tuvaletinin tıkandığını anladım! |
Did you have much money in your purse? | Cüzdanında çok para var mıydı? |
I can't believe that, you were a very nice couple! | İnanması zor, iyi bir çifttiniz! |
I came here to visit her, then she went back and I stayed here. | Onu ziyaret etmeye gelmiştim, sonra o geri döndü, ben burada kaldım. |