Irregular Simple Past Verbs

Simple Past (Irregular Verbs)

by lida Virguez

​SIMPLE PAST

​There are a number of verbs in English, many of them frequently used, that are irregular. This means that to formulate them in the past simple the rule of adding -ed in the ending is not followed, but they have their own endings.

​Verb TO-BE in Past

​There is an exception, which is not listed in the table but of enormous relevance: the past simple of the verb to be

STRUCTURES​

SIMPLE PAST​

​AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES

​Subject + verb in past + Comp.

​

​Example:

​

​He beat the ball

​NEGATIVE SENTENCES

​Subject + auxiliary verb in past (to do) + negative auxiliary (“not”) + verb

​

​

Did not

​Didn’t

​

​Example:

​

​They didn't cut the paper

​INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES

Auxiliary verb  in past(to do) + subject + main verb?

​

​Did

​

​Example:

​

​Did she sleep in the hotel?

​

​Yes, she did

​No, she didn't (did not)