WHEN DO YOU USE THE SIMPLE PAST?

1.To talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past. You say when it happened using a time expression. (yesterday, last month...)

2. It can be used to describe events that happened over a period of time in the past but not now

3. It is also used to talk about habitual or repeated actions that took place in the past:

PAST SIMPLEPAST SIMPLE

It is formed with the following It is formed with the following structure:structure:

SUBJECTSUBJECT + + VERB (PAST SIMPLE)VERB (PAST SIMPLE) + + COMPLEMENTCOMPLEMENT

SHE STUDIED HARD YESTERDAY

YOU WROTE A LOVE LETTER LAST WEEK

HE READ A MAGAZINE 1 MONTH AGO

PAST SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE (NEGATIVE FORM)(NEGATIVE FORM)

This structure includes the auxiliary This structure includes the auxiliary “didn’t” “didn’t”

STRUCTURESTRUCTURESUBJECTSUBJECT + + AUX. “DIDN’T” +VERB ( INFINITIVE)AUX. “DIDN’T” +VERB ( INFINITIVE) + +

COMPLEMENTCOMPLEMENT THEY DIDN’T GO TO CLASS YESTERDAY

HE DIDN’T WRITE A LOVE LETTER

WE DIDN’T BREAK THE WINDOW

PAST SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE (INTERROGATIVE FORM)(INTERROGATIVE FORM)

yes / no questions)yes / no questions)This form includes de auxiliary This form includes de auxiliary

“DID”“DID”

STRUCTURESTRUCTUREAUX. “DID”AUX. “DID” + + SUBJECTSUBJECT + + VERB (INFINITIVE)VERB (INFINITIVE) + +

COMPLEMENTCOMPLEMENT Did you speak a lot last week?

Did she write a book yesterday?

Did they talk about their homework?

PAST SIMPLE PAST SIMPLE (INTERROGATIVE FORM) (INTERROGATIVE FORM)

SHORT ANSWERS SHORT ANSWERS

These are called short answers These are called short answers because you answer with “YES” because you answer with “YES”

or “NOT” or “NOT”

Examples: Examples: Did you speak a lot last week? YES, I did

NO, I didn’t

Did she write a book yesterday? YES, She did

NO, She didn’t.

QUESTION WORDS

AUX. “DID”AUX. “DID” + + SUBJECTSUBJECT + + VERB VERB (INFINITIVE)(INFINITIVE) ? ?

Did you speak

Did she write

Did they talk

PAST EXPRESSIONSPAST EXPRESSIONS

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

Last ……….. ……..ago Yesterday In 1986

VERB ‘TO BE’

REGULAR REGULAR VERBS

we add -ed to the infinitive form of the verb.

I work hard.

She walk in the park.

They laugh at the joke.

ed

ed

ed

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

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

SPELLING RULES

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/

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/

PRONOUNCIATION RULES

There are no rules.

Each irregular verb has its own past simple, and

these can only be learnt by heart.

IRREGULAR IRREGULAR VERBS

eat ATE

go WENT

see SAW

leave LEFT