The document explains the concept of the simple past tense in English, detailing its use for actions completed in the past and the two types of formation: regular and irregular verbs. It outlines specific rules for changing regular verbs by adding '-ed' or modifying their spelling and provides examples for forming affirmative, negative, and interrogative sentences. Additionally, it includes exercises for practice in conjugating verbs into the past simple form.

1. Simple Past
Made by:
Valeria Martinez (49)
V-28 315 883
Section: English 2A

2. What is the simple past?
There are several tenses for speaking about the
past in English, but the past simple is the most used.
It is used for actions completed in the past.
There are two types:
Verbs to which "-ed" or "-d"
are added at the end.
Example:
Play Played
Change Changed
Verbs that change
their writing.
Example:
Take Took
Get Got

3. To form the past simple with regular verbs, we use the infinitive
and add the ending "-ed". The form is the same for all people (I, you,
he, she, it, we, they).
1. For verbs that end in an “e”, we only add “-d”.
Examples:
change → changed
believe → believed
I
You
He/She/It
We
You
They
Worked

4. 2. If the verb ends in a short vowel and a consonant (except "y" or
"w"), we double the final consonant.
Examples:
stop → stopped
commit → committed
3. With verbs ending in a consonant
and a "y", the "y" is changed to an "i".
Examples:
study → studied
try → tried

5. • Check the following picture

6. Irregular verbs can have different endings that we group together briefly
like this:
+ Verbs whose past simple and participle are the same:
+ Verbs with exactly the same forms:
+ Verbs with totally different forms:
Infinitive Present Simple Past Participle
To Sleep Sleep Slept Slept
To Sell Sell Sold Sold
To Spend Spend Spent Spent
Infinitive Present Simple Past Participle
To Cut Cut Cut Cut
To Hit Hit Hit Hit
To Bet Bet Bet Bet
Infinitive Present Simple Past Participle
To Drive Drive Drove Driven
To Write Write Wrote Written
To Swim Swim Swam Swum

7. • Check the following picture, there are more irregular verbs:

8. 1. Affirmative Sentences
Subject + principal verb in past…
Examples:
• She was a doctor. (be)
• The keys were in the drawer. (be)
• I wanted to dance. (want)
• They learned English. (learn)
• We believed him. (believe)
• I bought a blue car. (buy)
Structure to make sentences

9. 2. Negative Sentences
To be:
Subject + “to be” in past + “not”…
Examples:
She was not a doctor. (not/be)
The keys weren’t in the drawer. (not/be)
Other verbs:
Subject + Auxiliar verb (to do) in past + “not” + principal verb in infinitive…
Examples:
I didn’t want to dance. (not/want)
They didn’t learn English. (not/learn)
We didn’t believe him. (not/believe)
I didn’t buy a blue car. (not/buy)

10. 3. Interrogative Sentences
To be:
“To be” + subject…?
Examples:
Was she a doctor? (be/?)
Were the keys in the drawer? (be/?)
Other verbs:
Auxiliar verb (to do) in past + subject + principal verb in infinitive…?
Examples:
Did you want to dance? (want/?)
Did they learn English? (learn/?)
Did you believe him? (believe/?)
Did you buy a blue car? (buy/?)

11. 1.- Conjugate the verbs in parentheses in past simple.
Exercises
• William (visit)____his grandparents last weekend.
• Jane (arrive)____an hour ago.
• We (go)____to Bob's birthday party yesterday.
• I (be)____on holiday last week.
• She (see)____fire.
ANSWERS:
• William visited his grandparents last weekend.
• Jane arrived an hour ago.
• We went to Bob’s birthday party yesterday.
• I was on holiday last week.
• She saw fire

12. 2.Transform the following sentences into negative.
• I phoned Lucy last night.
• You tidied up your room.
• Olivia became an actress.
• We found the treasure.
• He spoke Spanish.
ANSWERS:
• I did not phone Lucy last night.
• You did not tidy up your room.
• Olivia did not become an actress.
• We did not find the treasure.
• He did not speak Spanish.
Exercises

13. • (you/dance)_____at the party last night?
• (she/do)______her homework?
• (Robert/work)_____at the post office?
• (they/help)_____you with the washing-up?
• When (I/say)_____that?
3.Formulate interrogative sentences in past simple.
ANSWERS:
• Did you dance at the party las night?
• Did she do her homework?
• Did Robert work at the post office?
• Did they help you with the washing-up?
• When did I say that?
Exercises