Simple Past

Simple Past

The simple past is a verb tense that is used to talk about things that happened or existed before now.

How to Formulate the Simple Past

• For regular verbs, add -ed to the root form of the verb (or just -d if the root form already ends in an e):

  Play→Played Type→Typed Listen→Listened Push→Pushed Love→Loved

• For example: Wolfgang polished his medal. The other winners polished their medals too.

How to Make the Simple Past Negative

• The formula is did not + [root form of verb]. You can also use the contraction didn’t instead of did not.

• For example: Wolfgang did not brag too much about his hula hoop skills. Wolfgang’s girlfriend didn’t see the contest.

How to Ask a Question

• The formula for asking a question in the simple past tense is did + [subject] + [root form of verb].

• For example: Did Wolfgang win the gold medal or the silver medal? Where did Wolfgang go to celebrate? Did the judges decide fairly, in your opinion?

• When asking a question with the verb to be, you don’t need the auxiliary did. The formula is was/were + [subject].

• For example: Was Wolfgang in a good mood after the contest? Were people taking lots of pictures?