The verb to answer · Conjugation
Past Simple of answer
The answer: answered
A2
A finished action at a definite time in the past.
Quick answer
The Past Simple of the verb to answer is answered.
Example: She answered the phone.
Full conjugation in the Past Simple
| Pronoun | Form |
|---|---|
| I | answered |
| You | answered |
| He / She / It | answered |
| We | answered |
| You (pl.) | answered |
| They | answered |
Common mistakes to avoid
1. Saying the w in answer ❌
Answer /ˈɑːnsə/: you write the w, but you don't say it.
2. Answer to the question ❌
The verb answer has no preposition: answer the phone, answer the question. Only the noun takes to: the answer to the question.
Practice quiz
Going further
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Frequently asked questions
What is the past tense of answer?+
The Past Simple of answer is answered (regular).
Is it answer or reply?+
Answer = the neutral word, for speaking and writing. Reply = often for writing (emails, letters), a little more formal. Remember: reply to an email.
Is the w in answer silent?+
Yes! Answer is /ˈɑːnsə/. You don't say the w.
Is it answer the phone or answer to the phone?+
Say answer the phone, with no preposition. It means to pick up the phone when it rings. Answer to the phone is wrong.
Is answer also a noun?+
Yes. An answer is what you say or write back. The right answer. The noun takes to: the answer to the question.
Related pages: answer Past Simple
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Updated on 12 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 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/verbs/answer/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.
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