Lesson 15: Past Simple

Verbs: Present & Past Forms

🔊 Click the speaker icon to hear the British pronunciation. Regular verbs just add -ed. Irregular verbs change completely — you must learn them!

Grammar Lab

Each section explains one grammar rule clearly with examples. Two quick exercises follow every section — complete them before moving on!

Part A: Past Simple Structure

Use the Past Simple for completed actions in the past — actions that are fully finished. Use -ed for regular verbs, or the V2 (past) form for irregular verbs.

1. Affirmative (+)

Subject + Verb-ed / V2

I worked yesterday.
You worked yesterday.
He / She / It worked yesterday.
We / They worked yesterday.

✔ Note: unlike Present Simple, there is NO -s for he/she/it! She worked. (NOT "She works.")

2. Negative (–)

Subject + didn't + Base Verb

I didn't work.
You didn't work.
He / She / It didn't work.
We / They didn't work.

⚠️ After didn't, always use the base verb (infinitive). NOT: "She didn't went." ✔ She didn't go.

3. Questions (?)

Did + Subject + Base Verb?

Did I work?
Did you work?
Did he / she / it work?
Did we / they work?

⚠️ After Did, always use the base verb. NOT: "Did she went?" ✔ Did she go?

4. Short Answers

Did you go? → Yes, I did. / No, I didn't.

Did she call? → Yes, she did.
Did they come? → No, they didn't.
Did it rain? → Yes, it did.

✔ Never say "Yes, I did go." Just: "Yes, I did."

✏️ Practice A1 — Type the past form

1. play →

2. stop →

3. go →

4. study →

5. buy →

✏️ Practice A2 — Choose the correct option

1. She ___ to the market.

2. She didn't ___ to work.

3. ___ they play tennis?

4. Did you ___ him?

5. Did she ___? — Yes, she ___.

Part B: "To Be" in the Past — Was / Were

"To be" (be, is, am, are) does NOT use did/didn't in the past. It has its own special forms: was and were.

Affirmative & Negative

Pronoun	Affirmative	Negative
I	I was tired.	I wasn't late.
You	You were great.	You weren't wrong.
He / She / It	She was happy.	It wasn't cold.
We / They	They were friends.	We weren't ready.

Questions & Short Answers

Question	Short Answer
Was he at home?	Yes, he was. / No, he wasn't.
Were they happy?	Yes, they were. / No, they weren't.
Was it raining?	Yes, it was.

⚠️ Never use did with "be": NOT "Did she was happy?" ✔ Was she happy?

✏️ Practice B1 — Was or Were?

1. I ___ very hungry.

2. They ___ at the cinema.

3. ___ she at school?

4. He ___ a doctor in 2010.

5. We ___ very tired after the trip.

✏️ Practice B2 — Negative or Question?

1. She ___ late. (negative)

2. They ___ ready. (negative)

3. ___ you at home yesterday?

4. ___ it cold last night?

5. Was he ill? — No, he ___.

Part C: Spelling Rules for Regular Verbs

The Four Rules

General rule: add -ed → Walk → Walked
Ends in 'e': add -d only → Live → Lived
Consonant + y: remove 'y', add -ied → Study → Studied
CVC (short vowel): double the consonant, add -ed → Stop → Stopped

✔ CVC = Consonant + Vowel + Consonant. Only applies to short-vowel, one-syllable verbs. Stop, plan, drop, chat.

Examples to Remember

Verb	Rule	Past
Work	+ ed	Worked
Dance	ends in 'e', + d	Danced
Study	consonant + y → ied	Studied
Stop	CVC → double + ed	Stopped
Plan	CVC → double + ed	Planned
Play	vowel + y → + ed	Played

✔ Play ends in vowel (a) + y, so just add -ed. Don't change the y!

✏️ Practice C1 — Type the correct past form

1. dance →

2. try →

3. chat →

4. play →

5. plan →

✏️ Practice C2 — Which spelling is correct?

1. stop →

2. study →

3. live →

4. travel →

5. drop →

Part D: Pronunciation of -ed

The -ed ending is not always pronounced the same way. There are three possible sounds. Listen carefully!

/ t /

After unvoiced sounds:
p, k, f, s, sh, ch

Looked
Washed
Talked
Watched

/ d /

After voiced sounds & vowels:
b, g, l, m, n, r, v + vowels

Cleaned
Played
Called
Smiled

/ ɪd /

After t or d sounds only.
Adds an extra syllable!

Wanted
Needed
Visited
Started

✏️ Practice D1 — What sound is the -ed?

1. Wanted

2. Played

3. Washed

4. Needed

5. Looked

✏️ Practice D2 — More sounds

1. Called

2. Visited

3. Talked

4. Cleaned

5. Started

Part E: Time Expressions & "Used To"

Signal Words for Past Simple

These words tell you to use the Past Simple:

Yesterday → yesterday morning / afternoon
Last → last week / month / year / night
... ago → 2 days ago / 5 years ago
In → in 2010 / in 1999
When → when I was young

✔ Examples: I met her yesterday. They moved here 5 years ago. She was born in 1998.

Used To — Past Habits

Something was true in the past but is NOT true now.

(+) I used to smoke. (but I don't now)
(–) I didn't use to like olives.
(?) Did you use to live here?

⚠️ In negatives and questions, remove the 'd': it's use to, NOT "used to".
✔ Did she use to play? ✘ Did she used to play?

✏️ Practice E1 — Time expressions

1. I saw her ___ morning.

2. She left two years ___.

3. They met ___ week.

4. He was born ___ 1992.

5. ___ night, I couldn't sleep.

✏️ Practice E2 — Used to / Use to

1. I ___ play football every day. (habit)

2. She didn't ___ like vegetables.

3. Did you ___ live near here?

4. We ___ go to the cinema every weekend.

5. They didn't ___ have a car.

Exercises — 12 Sets

Complete all 12 sets to fully practise the Past Simple. Multiple choice: click your answer. Text boxes: type and click Check. The correct answer appears if you are wrong.

In Real Life: Reading Practice

Read each short text carefully. Then answer the comprehension questions. All texts use the Past Simple — pay attention to the verb forms!

📖 Reading Text 1 · A1 Level

Tom's Saturday

Last Saturday, Tom woke up late. He had a big breakfast and then went to the park with his dog. At the park, he met his friend Sarah. They talked for a while and then walked to a nearby café.

At the café, Tom ordered a coffee and Sarah bought a slice of cake. They sat outside because the weather was lovely. After an hour, Tom said goodbye and went home.

In the evening, he cooked pasta, watched a film, and went to bed at 11 o'clock.

Comprehension Questions:

1. When did Tom wake up?

2. Who did Tom meet at the park?

3. Why did they sit outside at the café?

4. What did Tom do in the evening? (Choose the best answer)

5. Find a Past Simple irregular verb in the text. What is its base form?

📖 Reading Text 2 · A1 Level

Maria's New Job

Two years ago, Maria moved to London from Bulgaria. At first, she didn't speak much English and she found it very difficult. She used to practise every evening by watching British TV programmes.

Last month, she applied for a job at a bookshop near her flat. The manager called her the next day and invited her for an interview. Maria was very nervous, but the interview went well.

She got the job! On her first day, a customer spoke very fast and she didn't understand everything. But her colleague helped her and they laughed about it together afterwards.

Comprehension Questions:

1. When did Maria move to London?

2. How did Maria practise her English?

3. How did Maria feel before the interview?

4. What happened on Maria's first day at work?

5. What does "used to" tell us about Maria's TV habit?

🎮 Whack-a-Verb!

Find the correct Past Simple form of the target verb.
Example: Target is "GO" → Hit "WENT". Correct = 🟢. Wrong = 🔴.
Complete all 20 levels to become a Past Simple champion!

GO

Level: 1 / 20