Simple Past

The simple past tense
Meaning & Use

When do we use the Simple Past tense?
 We use the Simple Past to express the idea
that an action started and finished at a
specific time in the past.
What are some common time expressions
used with the past tense?
Examples:
I saw Maria yesterday.
yesterday
Last Friday,
Friday the students took their spelling and
vocabulary tests.
They got married two years ago.

ago
How do we form the simple past tense . . .?
English has two types of

verbs in the past tense:  taught
 walked
 Regular verbs  studied
 Irregular verbs  gave
Look at the following  became
list of past tense verbs…  cried
which verbs are  lived
regular, and which are  did
irregular?
Regular verbs are verbs that ….
…end with –ed
Simple Form Past Tense

Walk
Study
Cry
Live
Irregular verbs are verbs that . . . .
…DON’T end with –ed
some irregular verbs

Have a vowel change in the past tense:
Simple Form Past Tense

become became
give gave
drive drove
forget forgot
other irregular verbs
Have a different kind of change:
Simple Past
teach taught
bring brought
Leave left
Hear heard
Buy bought
And some irregular verbs
don’t change at all . . .
Simple Past
hit hit
put put
set set
The children set the table every Sunday.

The children set the table last night.
For regular verbs, simply use the –ed form of the
verb in a positive sentence.
When I was a child, I ___________ the piano. (play)
Donna ______________ Paris. (visit)

For irregular verbs, use the correct past tense
form in positive sentences. (We use the same form with different
subjects .)
Last week, I ___________ you a letter. (send)
The students __________an English exam. (have)

They _______ a great job! (do)
For negative sentences, USE
I went to work yesterday.

I didn’t go to work yesterday.
Exception =
VERB BE!
The verb be is special.
Never use DID NOT or DIDN’T with the
verb BE. Instead, just use:
For Yes/No questions, USE
Did you go to work yesterday?

Did you come yesterday?
Present perfect and past simple
(I have done and I did)
 The present perfect is a present tense.

It always tells us something about now.
 The past simple tells us only about the

past.
Examples:
 Jack grew a beard but now he has

shaved it off.
 They went out after lunch and they

have just come back.
Do not use the present perfect if there is no
connection with the present (for example,
things that happened a long time ago):
 The Chinese invented printing.
 How many plays did Shakespeare write?

Compare:
 Shakespeare wrote many plays.
 My sister is a writer. She has written

many books.
We use the present perfect to give new
information or to announce a recent
happening:
 Ow! I have cut my finger!
 The police have arrested two men in

connection with the robbery.
You can use the present perfect with
just, already and yet.
Just = ‘a short time ago’
 ‘Hello. Have you just arrived?’
We use already to say that something happened
sooner than expected.
 ‘He’s already gone.’
Yet = ‘until now’ and shows that the speaker is
expecting something to happen. Use yet only in
questions and negative sentences.
 ‘I’ve written the letter but I haven’t posted it
yet.’
Do not use the present perfect when you talk
about a finished time (for example,
yesterday / in 1985 / ten minutes ago). Use
a past tense:
 I went to bed early last night.
 They arrived an hour ago.

Use a past tense to ask When...? What
time...?
 When did they arrive?
 What time did you finish work?

Compare present perfect and past
simple:
Present perfect Past simple
We use the present perfect for We use the past simple for a
a period of time that finished time in the past.
continues from the past For example, yesterday, last
until now. week, from 1985 to 1991.
For example, today, this  It didn’t rain last week.
week, since 1985.  Did you see Ann on Sunday?
 It hasn’t rained this week.
 Tom lived in Scotland for ten
 Have you seen Ann years. Now he lives in London.
recently?  I didn’t play golf when I was on
 Tom lives in London. holiday last summer.
 He has lived there for
seven years.
 I have never played golf.

Simple Past

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Simple Past

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Simple Past

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The simple past tense

Meaning & Use

They got married two years ago.

English has two types of

Simple Form Past Tense

some irregular verbs

Simple Form Past Tense

The children set the table every Sunday.

When I was a child, I ___________ the piano. (play)

Donna ______________ Paris. (visit)

Last week, I ___________ you a letter. (send)

The students __________an English exam. (have)

I went to work yesterday.

Did you go to work yesterday?

 The present perfect is a present tense.

 The past simple tells us only about the

 Jack grew a beard but now he has

 They went out after lunch and they

 The Chinese invented printing.

 How many plays did Shakespeare write?

 Shakespeare wrote many plays.

 My sister is a writer. She has written

 The police have arrested two men in

 I went to bed early last night.

 They arrived an hour ago.

 When did they arrive?

 What time did you finish work?

You might also like