Past Simple
A1 · BeginnerPast TensesThe past simple is the tense for finished actions at a known point in the past — yesterday, last year, two hours ago.
What you'll learn
- Statements: subject + past form (I worked, she went)
- Negatives: didn't + base form (I didn't work, she didn't go)
- Questions: Did + subject + base form (Did you work? Did she go?)
- Used for actions that started and finished in the past, often with a time expression
Completed actions in the past
The past simple describes an action or state that happened and finished at a specific time in the past. It's often paired with a time expression that tells us when: yesterday, last week, in 2020, two years ago.
Negatives and questions with did
For negatives and questions, the auxiliary did carries the past tense, and the main verb goes back to its base form — it doesn't stay in the past form too.
Was and were
The verb be doesn't use did — it has its own past forms: was (I/he/she/it) and were (you/we/they), in statements, negatives, and questions alike.
Real English
Watch out
Did already carries the past tense — the main verb stays in its base form, not the past form.
Same rule for questions — did carries the past tense, so the main verb stays in the base form.
We takes were, not was — was is only for I/he/she/it.
Real life — Talking about a trip
"How was your trip?"
"It was amazing. We visited five cities in ten days."
"Did you have time to relax?"
"Not really — we didn't stop moving the whole time!"
Practice
Exercise 1 · Choose the correct sentence
Choose the correct sentence.
Exercise 2 · Choose the correct negative
Choose the correct negative.
Exercise 3 · Choose the correct question
Choose the correct question.
Exercise 4 · Choose the correct sentence
Choose the correct sentence.
Exercise 5 · Choose the correct answer
Which time expression fits with the past simple?
Exercise 6 · Choose the correct short answer
Choose the correct short answer to 'Did she call you?'
Exercise 7 · Choose the correct sentence
Choose the correct sentence.
Exercise 8 · Choose the correct sentence
Choose the correct sentence.
Exercise 9 · Complete the sentence
Complete: 'I ___ (not/see) that film.' (negative, past simple)
Exercise 10 · Complete the sentence
Complete: '___ they arrive on time?' (question, past simple)
Exercise 11 · Sort into groups
0 / 6 sorted
Quick challenge
Five quick questions to check what stuck.
Question 1 / 5
Score: 0/0
Choose the correct sentence.
You learned
- Past simple describes completed actions at a specific past time.
- Negatives and questions use did, and the main verb returns to its base form.
- Be has its own past forms (was/were) and doesn't use did.
- Past simple is often paired with a time expression like yesterday or last year.
Related grammar lessons
Past Continuous
Learn how to form and use the past continuous (was/were + -ing) for actions in progress at a specific past moment, background scenes, and interrupted actions.
Used To
Learn how to use used to for past habits and states that no longer happen — statements, negatives with didn't use to, and questions with did...use to.
Would for Past Habits
Learn how would describes repeated past actions (not states), how it differs from used to, and how to tell this use apart from conditional would.
Past Perfect
Learn how to form and use the past perfect (had + past participle) to show that one past action happened before another past action or point in time.