The Past Simple is used to express that an action, state  or situation started and finished in the past. It is normally used with the time, date, month, year, etc. when it happened

 

AFFIRMATIVE FORM ( regular verbs* )

For verbs of only ONE syllable

If they end in 1 vowel and 1 consonant

duplicate consonant + “ed”

If they end in 2 vowels and 1 consonant


+ “ed”

If they end in 1 vowel and 2 consonants

For verbs of TWO or more syllables

If they end in “e”

+ “d”

If they end in consonant + “y”

change “y” for “i” + “ed”

If they end in vowel + “y”


+ “ed”

If they end in any other vowel or consonant  

 

 

INTERROGATIVE FORM ( regular & irregular verbs )

Did + subject + root verb

 

NEGATIVE FORM ( regular & irregular verbs )

Subject + didn’t + root verb

 

* Irregular verbs have NO rules for the affirmative form and they must be learnt by heart

 

 

TIME ADVERBS & EXPRESSIONS THAT GO WITH IT

… ago

last week

in 1995

yesterday

last month

in August

the day before yesterday

last year

at seven o’clock

 

 

The Past Continuous is used

1. to mark that a (past) action lasted longer than a shorter action

2. to express that  a longer-lasting action was interrupted by an abrupt action

3. to imply that two longer-lasting actions were simultaneous

 

AFFIRMATIVE FORM

Subject + was / were + gerund (-ing)

INTERROGATIVE FORM

Was / were + subject + gerund (-ing)?

NEGATIVE FORM

Subject + wasn’t / weren’t + gerund (-ing)

 

 

TIME ADVERBS & EXPRESSIONS THAT GO WITH IT

When + shorter action (p. simple)

longer lasting action (past continuous)

shorter action (past simple)

 while + longer lasting action(past continuous)

longer lasting action

while + simultaneous longer lasting action

 

The past perfect expresses which of two actions ocurred

at an earlier time in the past

 

AFFIRMATIVE FORM

Subject + had + past participle

INTERROGATIVE FORM

Had + subject + past participle

NEGATIVE FORM

Subject + hadn’t + past participle

 

TIME ADVERBS & EXPRESSIONS THAT GO WITH IT

After + earlier action (past perfect)

past action (past simple)

Earlier action (past perfect) + before

past action (past simple)