Past Simple
Completed actions or states in the past with a finished time reference
When to Use
- •Finished actions in the past: I visited Paris in 2022.
- •A series of completed actions: She packed her bag, locked the door, and left.
- •Past habits or routines: We often played outside after school.
- •Past states: They lived in Rome for three years (past, finished).
- •Questions/negatives with did: Did you watch the game?
How to Form
Affirmative (+)
Regular: verb + -ed (walk → walked); Irregular: learn the form (go → went)
Negative (-)
Subject + did not (didn't) + base verb
Question (?)
Did + subject + base verb?
💡 No -ed after did in negatives/questions. Irregular verbs must be memorized.
Examples
✓She finished her homework last night.
✗She finish her homework last night.
Use past form (finished) for a completed action.
✓They didn't like the movie.
✗They didn't liked the movie.
After did/didn't, use the base verb (like).
✓Did you meet the new teacher?
✗Met you the new teacher?
Questions use did + subject + base verb.
✓I went to bed early.
✗I go to bed early yesterday.
Irregular verb: go → went in past simple.
Common Mistakes
💡 Practice Tips
- • Memorize irregular verb lists (go/went, have/had, see/saw).
- • Use time markers: yesterday, last week, in 2020, ago.
- • Remember: no -ed after did/didn't/did.
- • Use did for all subjects in negatives/questions.