1. Simple Past form
© Beni Suárez Prado (2011-2012)

2. Simple Past tense
Things to remember about the past tense:
I danced
We use the same form for all the She danced
subjects We danced
In affirmative sentences we clasify
English verbs in two groups:
REGULAR IRREGULAR
VERBS VERBS
There is no distinction in negative and
interrogative sentences

3. Regular verbs
When the verb:
• ends in Cons+y Study---- stud-i-ed
The suffix –ED has three different
pronunciations: FORM * play ---- play-ed
• has 1 syllable, ends in cons + v + cons
/ - t / worked, stopped, stop ------ stop – p - ed
rob ------- rob- b - ed
/ - d / robbed, played, danced
We form the past tensedance----- dance-d
• ends inREGULAR
–e adding –ED to the
verb: VERBS
/ - id / painted, needed
work----- worked
SPELLING PRONUN-
RULESopen----- opened CIATION
paint---- painted

4. Irregular verbs
There isn’t any rule to form irregular forms but we
can clasify them:
Some verbs change
Some verbs don’t
only one form:
change its form:
(usually a vowell)
Put – put – put
Run – ran – run
Cost – cost -cost
Come – came - come
Some verbs change
the simple past and
past participple forms: Some verbs have
three different
Bring- brought – forms:
brought
Stand – stood - stood Swim – swam – swum
Eat – ate – eaten

5. Regular and irregular
verbs
Let’s revise what you have leraned with some
exercises. You can also find them in the school
website:
REGULAR AND IRREGULAR VERBS
SOME GAMES WITH IRREGULAR
VERBS

6. To be: an irregular
verb
It is the only verb that changes its form depending on
the person
I WASN’T
WAS WE WERE
WEREN’T
YOU YOU WEREWEREN’T
WERE
WASN’T THEY WERE
HE
WAS
SHE WAS
IT

7. Negative sentences
There is NO DISTINCTION between regular and
irregular verbs
As in the present simple we need the auxiliar verb
DO but in its past form : DID DIDN’
and the negative
NOT
We use the infinitive form of the verb T
She ate some doughnuts for breakfast
yesterday
She EAT some doughnuts for
DIDN’T
breakfast yesterday

8. Interrogative
sentences
Again, there is NO DISTINCTION between regular and
irregular verbs
We also need the auxiliary verb DO in its past
form DID before the subject
1. YES / NO
QUESTIONS
Rose Saw Peter at the cinema
yesterday
Rose
SEE Peter at the
cinema yesterday?
DID
Yes, she did

9. Interrogative
sentences
2. WH-
Rose QUESTIONS the cinema
Saw Peter at
yesterday
1.
Where? Where SEE
Rose Peter
yesterday?
DID
2.
When?
When SEE
Rose Peter
at the DID
cinema ?
3. Who?
Who SEE
Rose at the
cinema yesterday?
DID