Past Simple

past simple

verb TO BE in Past Simple

AM -> WAS IS -> WAS ARE -> WERE

WASN'T WASN'T WEREN'T

In short

1 verb TO BE

The Past Simple is a verb tense we use for actions that have FINISHED.

2 rest of verbs

+ info

verb TO BE in Past Simple

I am happy

I was happy

You were in Boston

You are in Boston

He wasn't John

He isn't John

Are you studying?

Were you studying?

There are some trees

There were some trees

verb TO BE in Past Simple

Jonathan haserre zegoen

Jonathan was angry

Amy and Susan were in Donosti

Amy eta Susan Donostin zeuden

There was some water

Ur pixka bat zegoen

Ez zeuden patatarik

There weren't any potatoes

Zure tarta nerea baino hobea zen? Ez.

Was your cake better than mine? No, it wasn't.

BACK

Past Simple

Affirmative

Regular & Irregular verbs

Negative

Didn't + infinitive

Question

Did + subject + infinitive

Past Simple Affirmative

Regular verbs

Rule: infinitive + -ed

visit -> visited want -> wanted study -> studied copy -> copied hug -> hugged stop -> stopped like -> liked escape -> escaped

Irregular verbs

Don't follow the rule

Infinitive Past form Past participle eat ate eaten leave left left

Past Simple aff

I play hockey

I played hockey

You loved dogs

You love dogs

He understood English

He understands English

Three birds fly over my house

Three birds flew over my house

John and Mindy have a son

John and Mindy had a son

Past Simple Negative

Subject + didn't + infinitive form of the verb

Doesn't matter if it's regular or irregular

You didn't go to the gym Sarah didn't call me They didn't understand the activity The dogs didn't eat the meat I didn't do my homework Jen's parents didn't buy a boat that day

Past Simple neg

I don't play hockey

I didn't play hockey

You didn't love dogs

You don't love dogs

He didn't understand English

He doesn't understand English

Three birds don't fly over my house

Three birds didn't fly over my house

John and Mindy don't have a son

John and Mindy didn't have a son

Past Simple Questions

Did + subject + infinitive form of the verb

Doesn't matter if it's regular or irregular

Did you go to the gym? Yes, I did. Did Sarah call you? No, she didn't Did they understand the activity? Yes, they did When did you arrive? I arrived yesterday What did you have for lunch? Why did you get that phone? How many apples did you aunt give you?

Past Simple Q

Ura ekarri zenuen?

Did you bring water?

Did you bring water?

Ura ekarri duzu?

When did you bring water?

Noiz ekarri zenuen ura?

Zenbat ur ekarri zenuen?

How much water did you bring?

Did you know that you didn't have to bring any water?

Bazenekien ez zenuela urik ekarri behar?

Time expressions to use with the past Simple

I saw you the day before yesterday

I called you two days ago

I called you yesterday

She told me yesterday afternoon

I called you last Tuesday

I went to Portugal when I was 9

I went to Portugal in 2019

I saw it this morning

Practice

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