Past Simple Affirmative

There are two ways of making the Past Simple tense:

Regular verbs

- We add -ed to an infinitive verb:

EXAMPLE: Play→Played

                Listen →Listened

Exceptions:

1) Words that end in "E" → we add a "D" to the verb:

EXAMPLE: Live→Lived

                 Love→Loved

2) Words that end in Consonant + Vowel + Consonant, we double the final consonant and add ED:

EXAMPLE: Stop→Stopped

                Plan→Planned

3) Two-syllable verbs that end in Consonant + Vowel + Consonant, we DO NOT double the final consonant when the stress is on the FIRST syllable.

EXAMPLE: Happen→Happened

                   Enter→Entered

4) We DO NOT double the final consonant when the word ends in W, X or Y:

EXAMPLE: Fix→Fixed

                Enjoy→Enjoyed

5) Verbs that end in consonant + vowel + L, we normally double the final L and add ED (In the US they do NOT double the L):

EXAMPLE: Travel→Travelled (UK) / Traveled (US)

                  

Irregular Verbs

They are found in the second column (Past Simple) of the Irregular Verbs List. If you want to see this list, you just need to click on the pdf file below and you will be able to download it.

 

Past Simple Negative

The negative is made in the same way for Regular and Irregular verbs:

- We add "didn't" + infinitive verb:

Example: You didn't study for the exam. (Regular verb)

                You didn't come to my house. (Irregular verb)

Past Simple Questions and Short Answers

To make questions, we just need to add:

         - Did + subject + infinitive verb + complements (if needed)?

          Example: Did you play football with your friends?

                          Did she go to the cinema last weekend?

To answer Yes/No questions we will need:

             Yes, subject + did.

             No, subject + didn't.