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Intermediate

Simple Past Tense

Actions completed in the past

Regular past: add -ed to the base verb

Most verbs form the past tense with -ed.

📊 Regular past spelling
Ending Change Example
most verbs + ed worked
-e ending + d liked
consonant + y y → ied studied
short vowel + consonant double consonant + ed stopped
💬 Examples
I worked yesterday.
regular past — add ed to work
📝 work → worked
She watched the film.
regular past — add ed to watch
📝 watch → watched
Irregular past forms must be memorised

Common verbs have unpredictable past forms.

💬 Examples
go → went
completely different word — must memorise
📝 completely different form
buy → bought
the vowel and ending both change
📝 vowel + consonant change
Negative and questions use did

Did carries the past meaning — main verb returns to base.

💬 Examples
I did not see her.
did not + base form for past negative
📝 did + not + base form
Did you call him?
did moves to the front for past question
📝 did before subject