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USES OF PAST SIMPLE

A common use is to talk about one completed action at a specific time in the past.

• I went to Germany last summer.
• She met her best friend in 2007. 
• I finished reading my book last night. 
• I saw some dolphins two weeks ago in the sea.

Useful vocabulary for past completed actions at a specific time: this morning, yesterday, last night/week/month/year, two weeks ago, in (year)

Something that happened multiple times in the past (similar to 'used to').

• My sister and I went to school by bus every day.
• They ate a lot of local food while on holiday.
• You had guitar lessons every Thursday when you were little. 
• He watched that movie whenever he was sad. 

Something that was true for a period of time in the past.

• Mum worked in finance when she was younger.
• I really enjoyed university life.
• My grandfather owned a bakery before he retired.
• We lived in a small town growing up. 

For a sequence of events. 

• He woke up, had breakfast and then left for work. 
• The team practised, had a strategy meeting, and then played the match.

Useful vocabulary for sequences: first, then, after that, later, following this, finally

It can be used with the past continuous to interrupt an action.

• I was cooking when my phone rang.
• She was studying when a storm started outside.
• The teacher walked into the room as the students were chatting. 

Useful vocabulary for when the past simple interrupts an action: while, when, as, suddenly

STRUCTURE 

For positive sentences, add ‘ed’ to the main verb for regular verbs. 

• I walked 
• You walked
• He walked
• She walked
• It walked
• We walked
• They walked

For negative sentences, add ‘didn’t’ before the main verb in its basic form.

• I didn't walk
• You didn't walk
• He didn't walk 
• She didn't walk 
• It didn't walk 
• We didn't walk 
• They didn't walk 

To ask questions, add ‘did’ at the beginning.

• Did I walk?
• Yes, you did 
• No, you didn't
• Did you walk?
• Yes, I did
• No, I didn't 
• Did he walk?
• Yes, he did
• No, he didn't
• Did she walk?
• Yes, she did
• No, she didn't
• Did it walked?
• Yes, it did
• No, it didn't
• Did we walk?
• Yes, we did
• No, we didn't 
• Did they walk?
• Yes, they did
• No, they didn't 

To ask for more information, add the ‘who, what, where, why, how, when’ question words at the beginning.

• Why did I walk?
• Who did you walk with?
• Where did she walk?
• When did she walk?
• How did they walk?

Irregular verbs

Irregular verbs are... irregular. They don't follow the rules and you just have to learn them. However, some do fall into categories which can make them easier to remember, like these:

spoke, broke, chose, froze, woke up

began, drank, rang, sang, sank

blew, grew, knew, threw, flew

To do

Practise by using the worksheet on this page, and watch other Tenses with Georgie videos.

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