past simple tense

Past Simple:

Again we have positive, negative and interrogative sentences.

Positive Sentences:

We have regular and irregular verbs:
Regular verbs end in /ed/ or /d/
Example:
Yesterday I played football
Yesterday I decided to do my homework!

Irregular verbs:
Lots - so please check the handout outlining the irregular verbs.

Example:

Yesterday, I ate a hamburger.

Uses:

The past simple is any action or state in the past with no connection to now. We usually know an action is in the past simple by recognizing the following finished time adverbs: yesterday, last month, 10 minutes ago, in 1999, when I was a young boy/ girl etc.

Negative Sentences:

We use the auxiliary verb didn’t + infinitive

Example:

Yesterday, I didn’t do my homework √
Yesterday I didn’t go to school √

Careful:
Yesterday, I didn’t did my homework ×
Yesterday, I didn’t went to school ×



Interrogative Sentences:

Did + Infinitive?

Example:
Did you do your homework last night?
Did you go to school yesterday?

Point:

Did he played golf yesterday? ×
Did he play golf yesterday? √

More complex interrogative sentences:

What did you do last night?
Where did you go last weekend?
Why did you hurt me last night?
How many pints did you drink last night?
How much money did you spend last night?


 
Exception:

To be

The verb to be is the exception to the norm as we don’t use the auxiliary verbs did / didn’t + infinitive like the regular / irregular verbs mentioned above.

I was at home last night
You were right about the match
He / She /It was upset yesterday
We were wrong
You were great
They were delicious


Negative:

I wasn’t
You weren’t
He / She /It wasn’t
We weren’t
You weren’t
They weren’t

Interrogative:

Was I ?
Were you?
Was he / she / it?
Were we / you / they?

More complex questions:


Why were you sad last night?
Where were you last night when I called?
How was the match?
How much was it?
How many were in the stadium?