The simple past is used to describe events in the past.
It may combine with two aspects, the perfect and the progressive.
Form: Regular Verbs
The simple past is formed by adding -ed at the end of an infinitive and then removing the to, for example :
- to play become played
Verbs ending with -e add -d instead , for example:
- to place become placed
Verbs ending with a consonant, containing one vowel and having one syllable, add the second of the last consonant and then add -ed, also remove the to to form the simple past, for example:
- to stop become stopped
Verbs which ending with the letter -y is being replace with an i. For example:
- to try become tried
Form: Irregular Verbs
All irregular verbs have different forms, for example :
- to go become went
- to buy become bought
- to cut become cut
| Pronoun | Example verb |
|---|---|
| I | stole (of to steal) |
| I | saw (of to see) |
How we use it in our daily life :
The simple past is used for actions and situations that one has completed in the past at a definite time.
The time can be given in the sentence:
- I came home at 6 o'clock.
The time is asked about:
- When did they get married?
One uses the past simple for repeated actions in the past.
- We walked to school every day.
The past simple is used in stories to express actions that follow each other.
- Charles entered the hall and looked around, he took off his coat and put it on a chair.
