Grammar · Verb tenses
Past Simple
Formula: V-ed (regular verbs) or irregular form
B1
Quick answer
did + base form. If the sentence has yesterday, last week, in 2020, ago, you need the Past Simple.Past Simple: how to build a sentence
Affirmative
subject + V-ed (regular) or past form (irregular)
I worked yesterday.
She went to Paris.
Negative
didn't + V (base form)
I didn't work.
She didn't go.
Question
Did + subject + V?
Did you work?
Did she go?
Full example: to work
| Pronoun | Full form |
|---|---|
| I | worked |
| You | worked |
| He / She / It | worked |
| We | worked |
| You (pl.) | worked |
| They | worked |
The 4 main uses
1. Finished past action
The action is finished, and we know when it happened (last summer).
“I went to Paris last summer.”
2. Series of past actions
Three actions, one after the other, all in the Past Simple.
“She got up, had breakfast, and left.”
3. Past habit
A habit in the past that does not exist any more.
“When I was young, I played football every day.”
4. Special case: if + Past Simple
An imaginary situation now: this is the second conditional.
“If I had time, I would help you.”
Signal words
Some words almost always go with this tense: if you see one in the sentence, it is a good clue.
yesterday
the day before today
“I worked yesterday.”
last week / month / year
the week, month or year before this one
“I went to Paris last year.”
in 2020 / in March
a year or a month in the past
“I was born in 2010.”
ago
back in time from now; it goes after the length of time
“I met her two years ago.”
when (+ past clause)
at the time that something happened
“When I was 5, I lived in London.”
Common mistakes to avoid
No past form after did/didn't
When did or didn't is in the sentence (question, negative), the main verb goes back to the base form: Did you go? ✓ (not Did you went?). I didn't go ✓.
Irregular verbs to learn
About 180 common verbs do not follow the -ed rule: go → went, see → saw, take → took, have → had. Learn them by heart, with their three forms: base form, past form, past participle (go → went → gone).
Past Simple or Present Perfect?
Past Simple: a past action with a DATE (yesterday, last week). Present Perfect: a past action with NO date and a link to the present. I went to London last year (Past Simple) / I have been to London (Present Perfect).
Practice quiz
Related pages: Past Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Going further
Past Simple: often tested in the English contest
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Practise on PLAYPast Simple: you understand the rule. Now practise it.
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Frequently asked questions
How do you form the Past Simple?+
Regular verbs: base form + -ed (work → worked). Irregular verbs: a special form to learn (go → went, see → saw, take → took). Negatives and questions: did + base form.
When do you use the Past Simple?+
Use it for a finished action in the past, especially with a date or a time word: yesterday, last week, in 2020, ago. I went to Paris last summer. If the sentence has one of these words, you need the Past Simple.
What is the difference between the Past Simple and the Present Perfect?+
The Past Simple is for a finished action at a known time (I went yesterday). The Present Perfect is for a past action with no exact time and a link to now (I have been to London). With yesterday, last week or in 2020, always use the Past Simple.
How do you add -ed to a regular verb?+
(1) Most verbs: add -ed (work → worked). (2) Verbs ending in -e: add only -d (love → loved). (3) Consonant + y: change -y to -ied (study → studied). (4) One-syllable verbs ending in consonant + vowel + consonant: double the last consonant (stop → stopped), but rain → rained (two vowels).
How do you pronounce -ed?+
There are three ways, depending on the sound before it: (1) /t/ after the sounds p, k, s, sh, ch, f (worked /wɜːkt/, talked). (2) /d/ after other sounds, including vowels (played /pleɪd/, lived). (3) /ɪd/ after t or d (wanted /ˈwɒntɪd/, needed).
Updated on 6 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 6 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/grammar/past-simple
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.