SIMPLE PAST TENSE

Simple Past Tense is used to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time.

Examples:

1. I saw a movie yesterday.

2. Last year, I traveled to Japan.

3. She washed her car.

4. The police stopped me on my way home last night.

5. She passed the examination because she studied very hard.

The Simple Past also use to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.

Examples:

1. I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.

2. He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00.

3. Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?

Simple Past Tense also used to tell about habitual action in the past. (Characteristic: using “used to”)

Example:

Every month, Xavier used to buy a comic after getting money from his father.

Explanation:

Xavier has habitual activity in the past (buy a comic after getting money from his father) and it is not his habitual activity anymore.

Examples:

1. I studied French when I was a child.

2. He played the violin.

3. He didn't play the piano.

4. Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid?

5. She worked at the movie theater after school.

6.They never went to school

SIMPLE PAST TENSE NEGATIVE FORM

SIMPLE PAST STATEMENT	NEGATIVE FORM
I had a car.	I did not have a car.
You ate my toast.	You did not eat my toast.
He was here yesterday.	He was not here yesterday
They were in the park.	They were not in the park

SIMPLE PAST TENSE QUESTION FORM

1.Yes/No questions

2. WH questions (What, Who, Where, When, Why)

Yes/No questions are created by adding “did” at the beginning of the sentence before the subject.

1. He brought his friend = Did he bring his friend?

2. They had a party = Did they have a party?

3. You were here = Were you here?

4. She was sick = Was she sick?

Forming a WH- question WH- questions (using words such as "what", "when", "where" etc.) are also created by putting the auxiliary “did” before the subject.

1. The building fell down = Where did the building fall down?

2. They lived in Vancouver = Where did they live?

3. The store was closed = Why was the store close?

4. They were wolves = What were they?

IRREGULAR VERBS

Irregular verbs fall into three main categories:

1.Verbs which don't change.

For examples: cut - cut hit - hit fit – fit

2. Verbs which change their vowel.

For examples: get - got sit - sat drink – drank

3. Verbs which change completely

For examples: catch - caught bring - brought teach - taught