CEFR A2Recommended grades: 5–7

Past Simple

01 · Quick explanation

We use Past Simple for finished actions at a finished time in the past.

02 · Full explanation

Regular verbs add -ed (play → played, live → lived, study → studied, stop → stopped). Irregular verbs have their own forms (go → went, see → saw, buy → bought) and must be learned. The form is the same for all persons. For negatives use didn't + base verb; for questions use Did + subject + base verb. The verb to be has two past forms: was (I, he, she, it) and were (you, we, they).

Finished action in the pastA series of past actionsPast habitsStories

03 · Formula

+Subject + V-ed / V2

−Subject + didn't + V

?Did + subject + V?

04 · Affirmative

+ Subject + V-ed / V2

I visited my grandmother.
We went to the cinema.

05 · Negative

− Subject + didn't + V

She didn't call me.
They weren't at home.

06 · Question

? Did + subject + V?

Did you see the film?
Where was he yesterday?

07 · Examples

ENWe went to the museum yesterday.
KZБіз кеше мұражайға бардық.
RUВчера мы ходили в музей.
ENShe studied English for two hours last night.
KZКеше кешке ол ағылшын тілін екі сағат оқыды.
RUВчера вечером она два часа занималась английским.
ENI didn't watch TV on Sunday.
KZЖексенбіде мен теледидар көрмедім.
RUВ воскресенье я не смотрел телевизор.
ENDid you buy bread?
KZНан сатып алдың ба?
RUТы купил хлеб?
ENAbai was a great poet.
KZАбай ұлы ақын болған.
RUАбай был великим поэтом.
ENI lived in Pavlodar when I was a child.
KZБала кезімде Павлодарда тұрдым.
RUВ детстве я жил в Павлодаре.
ENHe didn't do his homework yesterday.
KZОл кеше үй тапсырмасын орындамады.
RUВчера он не сделал домашнее задание.
ENWhere did you go last summer?
KZӨткен жазда қайда бардың?
RUКуда ты ездил прошлым летом?
ENWe were at the cinema on Saturday.
KZСенбіде біз кинотеатрда болдық.
RUВ субботу мы были в кино.
ENShe came home, cooked dinner and called her mother.
KZОл үйге келіп, кешкі ас әзірлеп, анасына қоңырау шалды.
RUОна пришла домой, приготовила ужин и позвонила маме.
ENKazakhstan became independent in 1991.
KZҚазақстан 1991 жылы тәуелсіздік алды.
RUКазахстан стал независимым в 1991 году.

08 · Signal words

yesterdaylast weeklast year… agoin 2015when I was a childthen

09 · Common mistakes

✗ I goed to the park.
✓ I went to the park.
Go is irregular: go → went.
✗ Did she went home?
✓ Did she go home?
After did, use the base verb.
✗ They was late.
✓ They were late.
They → were.

10 · Compare with similar grammar

Past Simple vs Present Perfect

Past Simple needs a finished time (yesterday, in 2020). Present Perfect connects the past to now and has no finished time.

I lost my key yesterday.

I have lost my key (I can't open the door).

She visited London in 2019.

She has visited London twice.

11 · Interactive exercises

Answer each task and press Check. Type answers in English.

0 / 10 · 0 checked

1. Choose the correct answer:
We ___ to the museum yesterday.
2. Fill in the gap:
I ___ (watch) a film last night.
3. Fill in the gap:
She ___ (buy) a new dress last week.
4. Fill in the gap:
They ___ (stop) the car near the shop.
5. Fill in the gap:
He ___ (not / come) to school on Monday.
6. Choose the correct answer:
___ you finish the project last Friday?
7. Choose the correct answer:
We ___ very tired after the trip.
8. Fill in the gap:
My grandfather ___ (be) a doctor.
9. Correct the sentence:
Did you saw my bag?
10. Correct the sentence:
I writed a poem two days ago.

12 · Mini test

Question 1 / 5

Which sentence is correct?

13 · Practice

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