what is simple past ?

Simple past tense simply describes that the event has already occurred in the past. For example,

I tried to speak with her.

She reached the office late.

Simple Past (Past Simple)

The simple past expresses an action in the past taking place once, never, several times. It can also be used for actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another action.

Form of Simple Past


no differences	I spoke.	I did not speak.	Did I speak?

For irregular verbs, use the past form (see list of irregular verbs, 2nd column). For regular verbs, just add “ed”.

Exceptions in Spelling when Adding ‘ed’

Exceptions in spelling when adding ed	Example
after a final e only add d	love – loved
final consonant after a short, stressed vowel or l as final consonant after a vowel is doubled	admit – admitted travel – travelled
final y after a consonant becomes i	hurry – hurried

Use of Simple Past

action in the past taking place once, never or several times
Example: He visited his parents every weekend.
actions in the past taking place one after the other
Example: He came in, took off his coat and sat down.
action in the past taking place in the middle of another action
Example: When I was having breakfast, the phone suddenly rang.
if sentences type II (If I talked, …)
Example: If I had a lot of money, I would share it with you.

Use

1) action finished in the past

I visited Berlin last week.

2) series of completed actions in the past

First I got up, then I had breakfast

3) together with the Past Progressive/Continuous - The Simple Past interrupted an action which was in progress in the past.

They were playing cards when the telephone rang.

Signal words

yesterday, last week, a month ago, in 2002

Form

- with regular verbs: infinitive + -ed
- with irregular verbs: 2nd column of the table of the irregular verbs

Examples

Affirmative sentences:

regular verbs	irregular verbs
I played football.	I went to the cinema.
We visited Alaska last year.	We were in Rome yesterday.

Negative sentences:

You must not negate a full verb in English. Always use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of to do) for negations.

I		played	football.
I	didn't	play	football.
He	didn't	play	football.

Questions:

Use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of to do).
Did you play football?