Past Simple A2 - Cybulska

Mastering the Past Simple is essential for talking about finished actions and events in the past. This lesson will help you understand how to use the Past Simple correctly and confidently in English exams and real-life situations.

Theory: What is the Past Simple?

The Past Simple is used to talk about actions, events, or situations that started and finished in the past. It is one of the most common tenses in English, especially for telling stories or describing past experiences.

Key Point Use the Past Simple for actions that are completed and have a clear time reference in the past.

How to Form the Past Simple

Regular verbs: Add -ed to the base form.
play → played
work → worked
Irregular verbs: Use the special past form.
go → went
have → had

Negative: did not (didn’t) + base form
Question: Did + subject + base form?

Practical Examples

Positive: She visited London last year.
Negative: They didn’t watch the film.
Question: Did you enjoy the party?

Time expressions: yesterday, last week, in 2020, two days ago, when I was a child

Grammatical Structures

Affirmative

Subject + past form
I played football.

Negative

Subject + did not (didn’t) + base form
He didn’t go to school.

Question

Did + subject + base form?
Did they see the match?

Common Learner Mistakes

Incorrect: She didn’t went to the party.
Correct: She didn’t go to the party.
Incorrect: Did you saw the film?
Correct: Did you see the film?
Incorrect: I played football yesterdayed.
Correct: I played football yesterday.

Tip: After did or didn’t, always use the base form of the verb!

Exam-Focused Tips

Look for time expressions (e.g. yesterday, last week, ago) to know when to use Past Simple.
Remember irregular verbs! Make a list and review them regularly.
Check your negative and question forms: use did + base form.
In writing tasks, use Past Simple to describe past events, experiences, and stories clearly.

In exams: Read the whole sentence carefully and check the verb form before you answer!

Interactive Practice

Choose the correct Past Simple form for each sentence:

1. They ___ to the concert last night.

goed

went

2. Did you ___ your homework?

did

done

3. She didn’t ___ the answer.

knew

know

knows

Summary

The Past Simple is used for finished actions in the past.
Regular verbs add -ed; irregular verbs have special forms.
Use did/didn’t + base form for negatives and questions.
Look for time expressions to help you decide when to use the Past Simple.

Practice regularly and review irregular verbs to master this tense!

Recommended Study Materials

Exam Level	Topic	Description	Link
B2 / FCE	Past Simple	A detailed PDF guide with rules, examples, and exercises for the Past Simple tense.	Download PDF

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Past Simple Tense: Form & Use