Intermediate grammar · Unit 5 · B1

Past simple (I did)

Present and past

Use the past simple for finished actions and situations in the past. Regular verbs end in -ed, many common verbs are irregular, and questions and negatives use did/didn't. The past of be is was/were.

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A What the past simple is

Study this example:

Emily Brontë was an English novelist and poet. She lived from 1818 to 1848. She grew up in Haworth, in Yorkshire, and wrote one novel, Wuthering Heights. She was only 30 years old when she died.

lived, grew up, wrote, was and died are all past simple. Each describes something that happened and finished in the past.

  • Emily Brontë lived from 1818 to 1848.
  • She wrote one novel.
  • She was only 30 when she died.

B Regular and irregular verbs

Very often the past simple ends in -ed. These are regular verbs. Watch the spelling: stop becomes stopped, study becomes studied.

Many common verbs, however, are irregular. Their past simple does not end in -ed, and the only way to know them is to learn them:

Verb Past simple Example
write wrote Emily Brontë wrote one novel.
see saw We saw your brother at the match on Saturday.
go went I went swimming twice last week.
shut shut It was freezing, so I shut the door.
  • I work in a hospital now. Before that I worked in a call centre.
  • They asked us to stay for dinner, but we decided to go home.
  • A traffic warden stopped me outside the bank this morning.
  • Sophie passed her driving test because she practised every day.

C Questions and negatives: did and didn't

In questions and negatives, use did/didn't + the infinitive (enjoy, see, go). The main verb goes back to its plain form: did you see, not did you saw.

Positive Question Negative
I enjoyed did you enjoy? I didn't enjoy
she saw did she see? she didn't see
they went did they go? they didn't go

Sometimes do is the main verb, so it appears with did: What did you do? I didn't do anything.

  • I enjoyed the film. Did you enjoy it?
  • How many people did they invite to the party?
  • I didn't order a pudding because I didn't have any room.
  • "Did you go to the gym?" "No, I didn't."
  • What did you do on Saturday? (not What did you on Saturday?)
  • I didn't do anything all weekend. (not I didn't anything)

D was and were

The past of be (am/is/are) is was/were:

Positive / negative Question
I / he / she / it was / wasn't was I / he / she / it?
we / you / they were / weren't were we / you / they?

Note that be does not use did in questions and negatives: Were you tired?, not Did you be tired?

  • I was annoyed because the train was late again.
  • Was the food good when you were in Lisbon?
  • They weren't at the meeting because they were ill.
  • I wasn't thirsty, so I didn't have anything.
  • Did you go to the pub last night, or were you too tired?

Exercises

5.1 Callum describes a typical working day: "I usually get up at 6 o'clock and have a cup of coffee. I cycle to work, which takes me about twenty minutes. I start work at 7.30. I never have breakfast. I finish work at 4 o'clock. I'm always hungry when I get home. I usually make a curry in the evening. I don't usually watch telly. I go to bed at about 10 o'clock, and I always sleep badly." Yesterday was a typical working day for Callum. Write what he did or did not do yesterday.

  1. He got up at 6 o'clock.

    He got up at 6 o'clock.

  2. He a cup of coffee.

  3. He to work.

  4. It about twenty minutes to get to work.

  5. He at 7.30.

  6. He breakfast.

  7. He at 4 o'clock.

  8. He hungry when he home.

  9. He a curry yesterday evening.

  10. He telly yesterday evening.

  11. He at about 10 o'clock.

  12. He badly last night.

5.2 Complete the sentences using these verbs in the correct form.

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  1. Agatha Christie wrote more than sixty detective novels.

    Agatha Christie wrote more than sixty detective novels.

  2. "Who showed you how to knit?" "My nan me."

  3. The house was too big for us after the children left home, so we it.

  4. Gemma off her bike on Tuesday and her wrist.

  5. The goalkeeper the ball to Liam, who it with one hand.

  6. Neil a lot of money at the weekend. He a new jacket which £120.

5.3 You are asking Shona about her holiday in Ireland. Write your questions in the past simple.

  1. You: Where ...? Shona: To Ireland. We did a trip round the west coast, from Galway down to Kerry.

    Where did you go?

    Where did you go?

  2. You: How ...? By ferry? Shona: Yes, we took the ferry from Holyhead and drove from there.

  3. You: That's a long trip. How long ...? Shona: Ten days. We stopped in a lot of little towns along the way.

  4. You: Where ...? In hotels? Shona: Mostly in guest houses, and one very damp caravan.

  5. You: ... good? Shona: Not really. It rained most days, which I'm told is traditional.

  6. You: ... the Cliffs of Moher? Shona: Of course. They were spectacular.

5.4 Complete the sentences. Put the verb into the correct form, positive or negative.

  1. It was hot, so I took my jumper off. (take)

    It was hot, so I took my jumper off.

  2. The concert wasn't very good. I didn't enjoy it much. (enjoy)

    The concert wasn't very good. I didn't enjoy it much.

  3. I knew Dad was asleep, so I him. (wake)

  4. We were bored, so we the meeting early. (leave)

  5. It was hard work moving the sofa. It really heavy. (be)

  6. The neighbours' dog barked all night. I well. (sleep)

  7. These trainers weren't expensive. They much. (cost)

  8. The back door was open and a cat into the kitchen. (run)

  9. I was in a rush, so I time to have breakfast. (have)

  10. I didn't like the hotel. The staff very friendly. (be)

See also