Grammar 4 - Past Simple + Used to

Grammar 4 - Past Simple + used to

​Past Simple Affirmative

We use past simple to talk about something that happened in the past and is completed now.

He played ball.


This shows that he is done playing ball as of now, and he is no longer currently playing it.

​infinitive + -ed(or -d)

Past simple Negative

This is to express something that did not happen.

He did not play ball.

She didn't sing

Remember the rule about our helping verbs? The same is applied here for the past tense. The helping verb 'do' has taken on the past tense form 'did', so 'play' no longer needs to be in the past tense.

did not + infinitive

​Past tense irregular verbs

​Many verbs in the past tense follow the simple rule of adding -d or -ed to the end of them, but did you notice that the past tense verb 'do' isnt 'doed' or 'dod'?

English has many past tense irregular verbs, and we will need to memorize them later.

Another common example of an irregular past tense verb is the verb 'to go' which in past simple tense turns into 'went'

I went to play ball.

Because it is acting as the helper verb here again, it takes on the past form instead of 'play'

​What happens if we have multiple verbs in one sentence?

​Here's an example:

I didn't go to play ball.

What do you notice? First label our 3 verbs. Only the first helper verb took on the role of past tense, and the other two verbs stayed in their infinitive form. Remember, helper verbs help other helper verbs, and the main verb.

Interrogative

How do we change this sentence into a question:

She did play ball.

​did + subj. + infinitive + ?

Interrogative

How do we change this sentence into a question:

She did play ball.

Did she play ball?

​did + subj. + infinitive + ?

Fill in the Blanks

Write this sentence in past simple interrogative form:

I did eat ice cream.

Fill in the Blanks

Write this sentence in past simple interrogative form:

The elephants did play ball.

Use of past simple

1. To talk about completed actions

2. A series of actions in order

3. To talk about past situations that used to be true but are not true anymore

Completed actions

Often the time is mentioned in this use of past simple, but its not required.

I completed my assignment yesterday.

Even if we get rid of 'yesterday' and leave 'I completed my assignment' it still makes sense, and its still past tense simple, it just adds some extra, more specific information.

​She finished the race -> the race is finished.

She finished the race today -> although this is talking about the same day we are currently still living through, because it is in past simple tense, it means that it was completed earlier today, and is not still currently happening right now. Even if something finished only a second before the current moment, it can still be talked about in past tense.

I finished reading this slide.

A series of actions in order

This morning I ate breakfast, and then I studied for my test.

Last year I moved to Canada and studied English, then I bought a house and worked in a new company.

Notice that we use a lot of words like 'then', 'next', 'later'.

*The rule of one verb taking on the role of all past tense finishes each time a new clause starts

To talk about past situations that used to be true, but are not true anymore

My dad worked for the police for 20 years -> this indicates that the dad no longer works for the police anymore. It used to be true that the dad worked for the police, and now it isn't true anymore.

Past simple = past activities that are over

​infinitive + -ed(or -d) or irregular verb

Used to Affirmative

This shows a past tense repeated action that is now finished.

He used to cook for me = it doesn't happen anymore

She used to drive the car.

She would drive the car.

​used to/would + infinitive

Use to Negative

Because we are introducing a helper verb 'do', 'use' no longer carries the past tense form.

I didn't use to drive

He didn't use to cook

​did not + use to + infinitive

Use to Interrogative

Because we are introducing a helper verb 'do', 'use' no longer carries the past tense form.

Did she use to drive?

Did they use to sing?

​did + subject + use to + infinitive + ?