When do we use the Simple Past?

The Simple Past is used to talk about actions or situations in the past. It is also
called Past Simple.

1. actions finished in the past (single or repeated)

I visited Berlin last week.

Andrew watched TV yesterday.

My friends went to Paris a week ago.

My parents ate a lot of junk food when they were young.

2. series of completed actions in the past

First I got up, then I had breakfast.

On Sunday my brother and I went to a nice lake. There we met our friends.

We swam in the warm water and played volleyball in the afternoon. Too bad that
we had to go home in the evening. We didn't want to go to school on Monday.

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.

1st action → Past Progressive → were playing

2nd action → Simple Past → rang

While Dennis was reading outside, it started to rain.

1st action → Past Progressive → was reading

2nd action → Simple Past → started
 2. Signal words
 yesterday

 last week

 a month ago

 in 2010

3. Form
regular verbs → infinitive + ed
irregular verbs → 2nd column of the table of the irregular verbs

4. Examples

4.1. Affirmative sentences in the Simple Past – regular verbs

Long forms Contracted forms

I cleaned my room.

You cleaned your room. not possible

He cleaned his room.

4.2. Affirmative sentences in the Simple Past – irregular verbs

Long forms Contracted forms

I went home. not possible

You went home.
 Long forms Contracted forms

He went home.

4.3. Negative sentences in the Simple Past

Do not negate a main verb in English. Always use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of to
do) and the infinitive of the verb for negations.

There is no difference between regular and irregular verbs in negative

sentences.

Long forms Contracted forms

I did not clean the room. I didn't clean the room.

You did not clean the room. You didn't clean the room.

He did not clean the room. He didn't clean the room.

4.4. Questions in the Simple Past

You need the auxiliary did and the infinitive of the verb.

Long forms Contracted forms

Did I play football? not possible

Did you play football?
 Long forms Contracted forms

Did he play football?

The irregular verbs in a table

infinitive simple past past participle

be was/were been

borne/born 
bear bore

beat beat beaten

become became become

begin began begun

bend bent bent

bet* bet bet

bid bid, bade bid, bidden

infinitive simple past past participle

bind bound bound

bite bit bitten

bleed bled bled

blow blew blown

break broke broken

breed bred bred

bring brought brought

broadcast broadcast broadcast

build built built

burn*** burnt burnt

burst burst burst

bust* bust bust

buy bought bought

infinitive simple past past participle

cast cast cast

catch caught caught

choose chose chosen

cling clung clung

come came come

cost cost cost

creep crept crept

cut cut cut

deal dealt dealt

dig dug dug

dived/dove 
dive dived
infinitive simple past past participle

do did done

draw drew drawn

dream*** dreamt dreamt

drink drank drunk

drive drove driven

eat ate eaten

fall fell fallen

feed fed fed

feel felt felt

fight fought fought

find found found

flee fled fled

fling flung flung

infinitive simple past past participle

fly flew flown

forbid forbade, forbad forbidden

forecast* forecast forecast

forget forgot forgotten

forsake forsook forsaken

freeze froze frozen

got,
get got
gotten 

give gave given

grind ground ground

go went gone

grow grew grown

infinitive simple past past participle

hang hung hung

have had had

hear heard heard

hide hid hidden

hit hit hit

hold held held

hurt hurt hurt

keep kept kept

know knew known

lay laid laid

lead led led

learn*** learnt learnt

leave left left

infinitive simple past past participle

lend lent lent

let let let

lie** lay lain

light* lit lit

lose lost lost

make made made

mean meant meant

meet met met

pay paid paid

prove* proved proven

put put put

quit* quit quit

infinitive simple past past participle

read read read

rid rid rid

ride rode ridden

ring rang rung

rise rose risen

run ran run

saw*** sawed sawed/sawn

say said said

see saw seen

seek sought sought

sell sold sold

send sent sent

infinitive simple past past participle

set set set

sew* sewed sewn

shake shook shaken

shear* sheared shorn

shed shed shed

shine shone shone

shoot shot shot

show* showed shown

shut shut shut

sing sang sung

sink sank sunk

sit sat sat

infinitive simple past past participle

slay slew slain

sleep slept slept

slide slid slid

sling slung slung

slink slunk slunk

slit slit slit

sow sowed sown

speak spoke spoken

speed* sped sped

spend spent spent

spin spun spun

spit spat, spit spat, spit

infinitive simple past past participle

split split split

spread spread spread

spring sprang sprung

stand stood stood

steal stole stolen

stick stuck stuck

sting stung stung

stink stank, stunk stunk

stride strode stridden

strike struck struck

string strung strung

strive strove striven

infinitive simple past past participle

swear swore sworn

sweep swept swept

swell* swelled swollen

swim swam swum

swing swung swung

take took taken

teach taught taught

tear tore torn

tell told told

think thought thought

thrive* throve thrived

throw threw thrown

infinitive simple past past participle

thrust thrust thrust

tread trod trodden, trod

understand understood understood

wake* woke woken

wear wore worn

weave wove woven

weep wept wept

wet* wet wet

win won won

wind wound wound

wring wrung wrung

write wrote written

 infinitive simple past past participle

Which form is correct?

1. it        
2. they        
3. I        

Which sentences/questions are correct?

1. Which negative sentence is in the Simple Past?
 We did not speak Russian.
 We not spoke Russian.
 We spoke not Russian.
2. Which question is in the Simple Past?
 Did you saw her?
 Did you see her?
 Have you seen her?
3. Which question is in the Simple Past?
 When did Anne find the keys?
 When found Anne the keys?

Form questions in the Simple Past.

1. how / they / to ride / their bikes
?
2. when / Eric / to phone / his friend
?
3. what / he / to have / for lunch
?

Which answers are correct?

1. Which verb forms are correct?
 lived
 liveed
 planed
 planned
 tried
 tryed
2. Which verb forms are in the Simple Past?
 2nd column of the table of the irregular verbs
 3rd column of the table of the irregular verbs
 infinitive + -ed
 was/were + infinitive + -ing
3. Which verb forms are in the Simple Past?
 had
 has
 plaied
 played
 was
 were

Negate the given sentences.

1. My brother made a lot of noise.
.
2. It rained yesterday.
.
3. They came out of the house.
.
1. Use of the Past Progressive

1.1. actions were in progress at a special time in the past

Peter was reading a book yesterday evening.

1.2. two actions were happening at the same time (the actions do not
influence each other)

Anne was writing a letter while Steve was reading the New York Times.

1.3. together with Simple Past

While we were sitting at the breakfast table, the telephone rang.

1.4. repeated actions irritating the speaker

(with always, constantly, forever)

Andrew was always coming late.

2. Signal words
while

3. Form
to be (was, were) + infinitive + -ing

4. Examples

4.1. Affirmative sentences in the Past Progressive

Long forms Contracted forms

I was playing football. not possible

You were playing football.
 Long forms Contracted forms

He was playing football.

4.2. Negative sentences in the Past Progressive

Long forms Contracted forms

I was not playing football. I wasn't playing football.

You were not playing football. You weren't playing football.

He was not playing football. He wasn't playing football.

4.3. Questions in the Past Progressive

Long forms Contracted forms

Was I playing football?

Were you playing football? not possible

Was he playing football?
Choose the correct verb forms. Use Simple Past or the Past Progressive.

1. We            at the breakfast table when the doorbell        

.
2. He            a lot of friendly people while he        
 in California.
3. When they            the museum, the sun          
.
4. The students            cards when the teacher        
 in.
5. While the children           , their parents        
 TV.
6. It            to rain while she            the flowers
in her garden.
7. When I            the door, it           .
8. While Henry            a drink at the bar, his wife        
 in the sea.
9. He            a loud bang while he            to his
friend.
10. While he            a shower, his dogs            his
steaks.