Instructions
Transcript
The past simple is the most common way of talking about past events or states which have finished. It is often used with past time references (e.g. yesterday, two years ago).
Please explain past events or states!
A past event could be one thing that happened in the past, or a repeated thing.
I stopped at a zebra crossing.
We carried on with the test.
We played tennis every day in August.
A state is a situation without an action happening.
We stayed at my grandparents' house last summer.
How do you form the past simple?
Regular past simple forms are formed by adding -ed to the infinitive of the verb.
start → started
kill → killed
jump → jumped
That seems easy!
Yes, but there are some spelling rules. If a verb ends in -e, you add -d.
agree → agreed
like → liked
escape → escaped
If a verb ends in a vowel and a consonant, the consonant is usually doubled before -ed.
stop → stopped
plan → planned
If a verb ends in consonant and -y, you take off the y and add -ied.
try → tried
carry → carried
But if the word ends in a vowel and -y, you add -ed.
play → played
enjoy → enjoyed
OK, not quite so easy! But the past simple form doesn't change at all for I, you, he, she, we and they, does it?
No, the form doesn't change. See, it is easy!
What about the pronunciation of the -ed ending?
There are three kinds of pronunciation: /d/, /t/ and /ɪd/. Look at the table below.
| /d/ | /t/ | /ɪd/ |
|---|---|---|
| arrived | asked | wanted |
| failed | crossed | decided |
| agreed | stopped | started |
Aaagh! How do I know how to pronounce each one?
Good question. Well, really all you need to know is that /d/ is easier to say after arrive, and /t/ is easier to say after ask. For /ɪd/, the infinitive ends in a /d/ or a /t/ sound already so you must add an extra syllable for these verbs.
All right, that makes sense, but how do you form questions and negatives?
With the verb did (do in the past) + the infinitive.
Did you pass?
You didn't fail, did you?
Yes, I did. / No, I didn't.
Right, thanks, I've got it now!
Good. But you also need to learn the irregular past simple forms.
You mean there are verbs that don't end in -ed in the past?
Yes, they don't all end in -ed. Have a look at the past simple irregular verbs too.
Worksheets and downloads
Discussion
Did you like this grammar snack? What did you do yesterday? Tell us about your day.
Comments
Yesterday I started School at 8.00 a.m. and I studied for all hours. Then, I went home and had lunch with my mum and my boyfriend. In the afternoon I went out with my boyfriend and a friend of ours, in the evening I had dinner with my mum, we had a delicious pizza and after that I cleaned the Kitchen and I went to bed.
Yes, this grammar snack was helped me a lot.
I went to school in the morning yesterday. I learned seven lessons and returned home.
Yesterday I walked in the woods all day, and in the evening I played games
This grammar snack is useful and interesting to understand this tense.
Yesterday I woke up at 6 a.m and began to make my bed,then I went to the bathroom to care my skin.Next I began to make breakfast,it was sunny-side up egg with black tea.I was at school at 8 to 13 a.m.When I came home and I had lunch,then I had an English lesson.And of course,began to do my hometask and had dinner.About 10 p.m I started to get ready for bed and 10.30 p. I went to bed.
the activity was very easy to understand.
Juana
The activity was creative and simple.
the grammar is easy to understand and the games are fun.
5°A T-LOG
the activities are interesting, it is a great platform to learn more about English, 5°A Logística
The explanation of the topic can be easily understood.
5-A T-LOG
I like the platform but I wish they made it more fun
Edith Victoria 5A TLOG
The activity was easy to understand and elaborate.
The issue became clearer to me.
This grammar snacks are quite enjoyable. Yesterday I played tennis with my friend and I played Mariokart8 with him.
Yes, I enjoyed it very much! Yesterday I woke up and went for a walk, after that I took a shower and went to my cell phone for 30 minutes. After that I did 1 hour of "Grammar Snack", when I was finished I played my guitar for almost the same time. Then I went outside and plyed some fotball. When it got dark I had another shower, did some research, had dinner, brushed my teath and went to sleep.
Yes, I like it very much! Yesterday I woke up and I did some exersises walking outside of my house, then I learned english for one hour. After this I got out of my house again to let my dogs walk in the garden. At night I played video games and I had dinner with my family, then I brushed my teeth and I slept.
Yes, I like this grammar snack very much. Yesterday I learnt English for two hours, then studied Frontend and after all of this I went outsite to do some exercises. I came back home, talked to my girlfriend, called my parents, had a shower, brushed my teeth, went to bed and fell asleep very fast. That was my yesterday :)
Yes, I did.
Yesterday , I went to play basketball with my best friend in Shatin at 6 p.m. and we had so much fun. After I had swimming lesson at 8:45p.m., I ate dinner with him at food count.
Yes, l did
Yesterday, l woke up and l did exercise at 6:15 . l had breakfast with some milk tea . When learned english
I went to BC (British Council) on Wednesday to increase my English skills with my teacher Rachel!!
Hey,
yes, I like it.
Yesterday me and my family were going for a walk near river. It was great.
Nice day,
Rose
Yes,I liked this Grammer Snack!!!
Yesterday was not a very nice day. The day was so hot. I don't like hot weather. I read my favourite book of Sherlock Holmes in my free time in a cold room with Air Condition. I wanted to eat some ice cream. But it is a dangerous season to eat ice cream. It is the time of COVID-19!!!!!!!!!
yesterday I drew all day on my graphics tablet. and later in the evening we had dinner and again I sat at the computer and drew all night, I ate a lot of everything but I do not regret it
yesterday I woke up at 9, after breakfast I followed an online Latin lesson, then I did my homeworks.
After lunch I played with playstation and ping-pong, in the evening I saw the film "Fast and Furious 8".
Yesterday I woke up early, had breakfast and had video lessons with some teachers, then I started doing my homework while listening to music. Finally in the evening I had dinner and I watched a tv series with my sister. Usually my days re like this.
Yesterday i celebrated the father’s day with my father, we ate the cake and i did my homework.
Finally, after dinner, we watched a film together.
Yes I liked it. Yesterday I woke up early, I put my house and my room in order with my mom, then I spent all afternoon doing my homework. Finally in the evening I prepared pizza, watched a good movie, and finally went to bed
Yesterday I got up at 8 o’clock and I had breakfast. Then I participated in video calls with my teachers and my classmates. I had lunch and I did my homework in the afternoon. After I listened to music and I went online. I had dinner with my parents and then I chatted with my friends. Finally I watched TV series and I went to bed.
Yes, I liked a lot this grammar snack. It was really fun!
Yesterday I spoke to my friend and I told her the news. After that I learnt some English vocabulary and I watched a film.
Yesterday in the morning I had some video lessons. In the afternoon I cook some biscuist at chocolate with my brothers and they were delicious!
We also ate they after dinner!
Yes, I like it. Yesterday I didn't do many things. I had two video lessons in the morning and then I watched some TV until lunchtime. In the afternoon I watched a streaming movie with my family and in the evening we played Monopoli. It was a very peaceful day.
Yes i did. Yesterday i woke up at 7 o'clok, i made crepes and we had breakfast together. Auround 9 i made the video lesson with my class and the teacher until 10 and then i took a shower. I had luch with mom and dad. I did my homework, i read a comic and i had dinner. I saw my tv series and i went to sleep
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