1. The simple past tense is used to talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past or actions that happened repeatedly in the past. 2. It is formed by adding "-ed" to regular verbs or using irregular forms for irregular verbs. 3. There are spelling, pronunciation, and formation rules for the simple past tense of regular verbs to avoid mistakes depending on the ending sound of the verb.

1. 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:

2. PAST SIMPLE
It is formed with the following structure:
SUBJECT + VERB (PAST SIMPLE) +
COMPLEMENT
SHE STUDIED HARD YESTERDAY
YOU WROTE A LOVE LETTER LAST
WEEK
HE READ A MAGAZINE 1 MONTH AGO

3. PAST SIMPLE
(NEGATIVE FORM)
This structure includes the auxiliary “didn’t”
STRUCTURE
SUBJECT + AUX. “DIDN’T” +VERB ( INFINITIVE) +
COMPLEMENT
THEY DIDN’T GO TO CLASS
YESTERDAY
HE DIDN’T WRITE A LOVE LETTER
WE DIDN’T BREAK THE WINDOW

4. PAST SIMPLE
(INTERROGATIVE FORM)
yes / no questions)
This form includes de auxiliary “DID”
STRUCTURE
AUX. “DID” + SUBJECT + VERB (INFINITIVE) +
COMPLEMENT
Did you speak a lot last week?
Did she write a book yesterday?
Did they talk about their homework?

5. PAST SIMPLE
(INTERROGATIVE FORM)
SHORT ANSWERS
These are called short answers because
you answer with “YES” or “NOT”
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.

6. QUESTION WORDS
AUX. “DID” + SUBJECT + VERB
(INFINITIVE) ?
Did you speak
Did she write
Did they talk

7. PAST EXPRESSIONS
 These are some words and expressions
that usually appear with a verb in the
Past Simple.
 Last ………..
 ……..ago
 Yesterday
 In 1986

8. VERB ‘TO BE’

9. REGULAR VERBS
we add -ed to the infinitive form of the
verb.
 I work ed hard.
 She walk ed in the park.
 They laugh ed at the joke.

10. 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

11. SPELLING RULES
 When the verb ends in –e, we drop the
–e and add the sufix.
 Move Moved
 Rule Ruled
 Live Lived
 Love Loved

12. SPELLING RULES
 When the verb ends in consonant+y
we drop the “y” and write “i+ed”.
 Cry Cried
 Try Tried
 Carry Carried

13. 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/

14. 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/

15. PRONOUNCIATION
RULES
 We pronounce /id/ after the sounds /t/
and /d/.
 Start Started /id/
 End Ended /id/

16. IRREGULAR VERBS
There are no rules.
Each irregular verb has its own past simple, and
these can only be learnt by heart.
eat ATE
go WENT
see SAW
leave LEFT