The Simple Past tense:

Spelling rules for regular verbs

Form the past tense of most verbs by adding-es to the base form.

play played

For verbs ending in –e or –ie, add -d.

smile smileed

play playedreturnlikechangetravelrainwait

returnlikechangetravelrainwait

eded

eded

eded

PRACTICE

arrive arriveed

For verbs ending in a consonant and –y , change the y to –i and add –ed.

stop stop edp

plan plan edn

For one-syllable verbs ending in one vowel + one consonant double the consonant and add –ed.

study studied

If the second syllable is stressed, doublé the consonant and add -ed.

prefer prefer edr

For two syllable verbs ending in one vowel + one consonant: If the first syllable is stressed, add -ed.

visit visited

Be careful !!!

Do not use –ed for

irregular verbs.

IRREGULAR VERBS

eat atedrinkswimgowritemeetrunbegin

drankswamwentwrotemetranbegan

buy

understoodreadpay

readpaid

understand

bought

The Simple Past tense:

Usage and form

Use the SIMPLE PAST TENSE to talk about completed actions in the past.

My grandparents went to Paris in April.

Last year, we played tennis and did aerobics every day.

NEGATIVE FORMS

He didn’t go out last weekend.

Use didn’t + the base form of a verb

They didn’t have a good time.

He didn’t went out last weekend.NOT

NOTThey didn’t had a good time.

QUESTIONS

Did you go swimming every day?

Begin yes/no questions with Did.Use the base form of the verb.

Did you went swimming everyday.NOT

Begin information questions with a question Word followed by did.Use the base form of the verb.

Where did you go shopping?

When did he arrive?

What did they eat everyday?

Change each affirmative statement into a negative statement.

I slept all night.

I didn’t sleep all night.

We went swimming.We didn’t go swimming.

She ate a lot of food.She didn’t eat a lot of food.

They drank a lot of coffee.They didn’t drink a lot of coffee.

We had dinner at eight.We didn’t have dinner at eight.

He bought postcards.He didn’t buy postcards.

Thank you…

Patricia Saavedra Incháustegui