Past Simple

Form

The past simple describes a completed action at a definite time in the past. For regular verbs, add -ed to the base form (work becomes worked, play becomes played). Many common verbs are irregular and must be memorized (go becomes went, see becomes saw, buy becomes bought). For questions and negatives, use the auxiliary did plus the base form of the verb (Did you call? I did not call), and the main verb stays in its base form, not the past form.

When to Use It

• Completed actions at a specific past time: "She finished her homework an hour ago."
• A sequence of finished events in a story: "He woke up, made coffee, and left for work."
• Past habits or repeated actions that are now over: "We visited my grandparents every summer."
• States or situations that were true in the past but not now: "They lived in Chicago for ten years."
• Asking about details of a past event: "What time did the movie start last night?"

Signal Words

Common Mistakes

• Using the past form after did: write "Did you go?" not "Did you went?" — the auxiliary already carries the past tense.
• Adding -ed to irregular verbs: it is "I bought a car," not "I buyed a car."
• Forgetting did in negatives: say "I didn't see him," not "I no saw him" or "I not saw him."
• Mixing up was and were: use "was" with I/he/she/it and "were" with you/we/they.