What do we use the past simple for?

We use the past simple to talk about completed actions in the past, For example:

I went abroad on holiday last year.

 

Form: how to create your own sentences

 

In the affirmative:

SUBJECT PAST VERB
I WALKED
YOU WALKED
HE/SHE/IT WALKED
THEY WALKED
WE WALKED
YOU (ALL) WALKED

For example:

I walked to school every day when I was a child.

 

In the negative:

SUBJECT AUXILIARY VERB
I DID NOT/DIDN´T WALK
YOU DID NOT/DIDN´T WALK
HE/SHE/IT DID NOT/DIDN´T WALK
THEY DID NOT/DIDN´T WALK
WE DID NOT/DIDN´T WALK
YOU (ALL) DID NOT/DIDN´T WALK

For example:

I didn´t walk home from work last night.

 

In the interrogative:

AUXILIARY SUBJECT VERB + ?
DID I WALK?
DID YOU WALK?
DID HE/SHE/IT WALK?
DID THEY WALK?
DID WE WALK?
DID YOU (ALL) WALK?

For example:

Did you go walk to work yesterday?

 

Regular and irregular verbs

In the English language there are both regular and irregular verbs. The regular verbs are easy as they all end in ed, for example walked, listened and decided. The only difficulty occurs with pronunciation as there are three ways of doing this, /id/ /t/ /d/. Irregular verbs on the other hand are more difficult as no real pattern seems to occur, therefore you must study this list extensively. The good news is that verb conjugations are easy in the past, for instance, go = went. Look at how the verb is conjugated.

 

Regular verbs always end in …ed, but they are pronounced /id/ /t/ /d/

Irregular verbs

The best thing to do is memorize the irregular verbs with example sentences. Practice writing them in the affirmative, negative and interrogative

 

SUBJECT TO GO PAST
I GO WENT
YOU GO WENT
HE/SHE/IT GOES WENT
WE GO WENT
YOU (ALL) GO WENT
THEY GO WENT

 

 

It is worth remembering that the verb to be in the past is a little different:

 

SUBJECT TO BE
I WAS
YOU WERE
HE/SHE/IT WAS
WE WERE
YOU (ALL) WERE
THEY WERE

 

Participle: BEEN

 

You can see here that verbs are not conjugated in the past and you only need to learn one form (APART FROM THE VERB TO BE). Be careful with the negative as it is not I didn´t went but I didn´t go

We have provided a list of the essential 100 IRREGULAR VERBS that you need to memorize to be able to master the English language. They are in alphabetical order to make the more organised and easier to remember. It is a good idea to memorise the participle also so that you can form phrases in the present perfect. REMEMBER THAT YOU SHOULD LEARN NEW WORDS AS A PHRASE:

Choose:

I always choose pizza at a restaurant.

I chose a sandwich yesterday in the canteen.

I have chosen German instead of French at university.

 

 

 

DOWNLOAD THE IRREGULAR VERB LIST HERE

 

 

INFINITIVE PAST PARTICIPLE

 

BE WAS/WERE BEEN
BECOME BECAME BECOME
BEGIN BEGAN BEGUN
BET BET BET
BITE BIT BITTEN
BLEED BLED BLED
BLOW BLEW BLOWN
BREAK BROKE BROKEN
BRING BROUGHT BROUGHT
BUILD BUILT BUILT
BURN BURNT BURNT
BUY BOUGHT BOUGHT
CATCH CAUGHT CAUGHT
CHOOSE CHOSE CHOSEN
COME CAME COME
COST COST COST
CUT CUT CUT
DEAL DEALT DEALT
DIG DUG DUG
DO DID DONE

 

INFINITIVE PAST PARTICIPLE

 

DRAW DREW DRAWN
DREAM DREAMT/DREAMED DREAMT/DREAMED
DRINK DRANK DRUNK
DRIVE DROVE DRIVEN
EAT ATE EATEN
FALL FELL FALLEN
FEED FED FED
FEEL FELT FELT
FIGHT FOUGHT FOUGHT
FIND FOUND FOUND
FLY FLEW FLOWN
FORGET FORGOT FORGOTTEN
FORGIVE FORGAVE FORGIVEN
FREEZE FROZE FROZEN
GET GOT GOT/GOTTEN
GIVE GAVE GIVEN
GO WENT GONE
GROW GREW GROWN
HANG HUNG HUNG
HAVE HAD HAD

 

INFINITIVE PAST PARTICIPLE

 

HEAR HEARD HEARD
HIDE HID HIDDEN
HIT HIT HIT
HOLD HELD HELD
HURT HURT HURT
KEEP KEPT KEPT
KNOW KNEW KNOWN
LEAVE LEFT LEFT
LEAD LED LED
LEARN LEARNT/LEARNED LEARNT/LEARNED
LEND LENT LENT
LET LET LET
LIGHT LIT LIT
LOSE LOST LOST
MAKE MADE MADE
MEAN MEANT MEANT
MEET MET MET
PAY PAID PAID
PUT PUT PUT
READ READ /RED/ READ /RED/

 

INFINITIVE PAST PARTICIPLE

 

RIDE RODE RIDDEN
RING RANG RUNG
RISE ROSE RISEN
RUN RAN RUN
SAY SAID SAID
SEE SAW SEEN
SELL SOLD SOLD
SEND SENT SENT
SET SET SET
SEW SEWED SEWN
SHAKE SHOOK SHAKEN
SHINE SHONE SHONE
SHOOT SHOT SHOT
SHOW SHOWED SHOWN
SHUT SHUT SHUT
SING SANG SUNG
SINK SANK SUNK
SIT SAT SAT
SLEEP SLEPT SLEPT
SPEAK SPOKE SPOKEN

 

INFINITIVE PAST PARTICIPLE

 

SPELL SPELT SPELT
SPEND SPENT SPENT
SPOIL SPOILT/SPOILED SPOILT/SPOILED
STAND STOOD STOOD
STEAL STOLE STOLEN
STICK STUCK STUCK
SWEAR SWORE SWORN
SWEEP SWEPT SWEPT
SWIM SWAM SWUM
TAKE TOOK TAKEN
TEACH TAUGHT TAUGHT
TEAR TORE TORN
TELL TOLD TOLD
THINK THOUGHT THOUGHT
THROW THREW THROWN
UNDERSTAND UNDERSTOOD UNDERSTOOD
WAKE WOKE WOKEN
WEAR WORE WORN
WIN WON WON
WRITE WROTE WRITTEN

 

DOWNLOAD THE IRREGULAR VERB LIST HERE

 

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