The Simple Past

THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

GRAMMAR

SUMMARY

Idea. Words. Regular Verbs. Spelling. Pronounciation. Irregular Verbs. Affirmative, negative and questions.

IDEA

We use the Past simple tense to describe an action that took place in the past.

This action is Short and Finished.

WORDS

These are some words and expressions that usually appear with a verb in the Past Simple.

Last ……….. ……..ago Yesterday In 1986

REGULAR VERBS.

To write the past simple of a regular verb we add “-ed” to the base form.

Work Worked Play Played Paint Painted

SPELLING RULES To avoid spelling mistakes we

must remember three rules: After consonat+vowel+consonant

we double the last consonant when the syllable is stressed.

Stop Stopped Clap Clapped Plan Planned

SPELLING RULES

When the verb ends in –e, we drop the –e and add the sufix.

Move Moved Rule Ruled Live Lived Love Loved

SPELLING RULES

When the verb ends in consonant+y we drop the “y” and write “i+ed”.

Cry Cried Try Tried Carry Carried

PRONOUNCIATION RULES

There are 3 ways to pronounce “ –ed”

/d/ /t/ /id/

PRONOUNCIATION RULES

We pronounce /d/ after vowel or voiced sound (b, g, l, m, n, r, v, z).

Play Played /d/ Beg Begged /d/ Live Lived /d/ Pull Pulled /d/

PRONOUNCIATION RULES

We pronounce /t/ after voiceless sound:

/p/ /k/ /ch/ /s/ /sh/ /ch/

Work Worked /t/ Stop Stopped /t/ Pass Passed /t/ Push Pushed /t/ Watch Watched /t/

PRONOUNCIATION RULES

We pronounce /id/ after the sounds /t/ and /d/.

Start Started /id/ End Ended /id/

IRREGULAR VERBS

Most verbs are regular. But there are also irregular verbs. You must study the List of Irregular verbs to use them.

Choose the Second Column. Break Broke Broken Do Did Done Write Wrote Written

AFFIRMATIVE SENTENCES

We use the same form with different subjects to express the past.

She broke her leg I found a job We worked together You stopped the car.

AUXILIARY VERB

The auxiliary verb for the past simple is “DID”.

When we use the auxiliary verb “did” or “didn´t” the main verb is written in the infinitive.

NEGATIVE SENTENCES

We write didn´t in front of the verb. Remember the verb in the infinitive.

I didn´t study for my exams. They didn´t bring the flowers She didn´t stop the car. The programme didn´t begin one

hour ago.

QUESTIONS IN THE PAST SIMPLE

We write didn´t in front of the subject. The main verb is written in the infinitive.

Did you come yesterday? Did you hear the noise? Did she open the present?