We use the simple past tense:
· to describe an action that occurred in the past or at a specified time or the time is easily understood or already implied.
Example: We finished our drinking session an hour ago. (NOT: We have/had finished our drinking session an hour ago.)
Example: My grandfather played for the Yellow Hornless Bull football team.
Example: I ate a big spicy piece of pizza for my breakfast.
· for an action that began and ended in the past.
Example: The dangerous criminal was recaptured after three months on the run.
· to refer to an action completed regardless of how recent or distant in the past.
Example: Alexander Bell invented the telephone in 1876.
Example: My brother joined the circus as a clown last week.
· for an action done repeatedly, habitually or at regular times in the past.
Example: We saw the movie ‘Titanic’ several times at the cinema.
Example: Brian had always been a heavy drinker in the old days.
Example: He phoned his mother every Sunday until her death.
· for a state in the past.
Example: I felt very tired after chasing a fox.
· for a short event or action that comes or follows one after the other.
Example: We looked left and we looked right. Then we crossed the road.
· to place emphasis on what we say, especially in response to some remark.
Example: “You didn’t seem to help much.” “I did help to get rid of some of that clutter.
· to talk about someone who has died.
Example: Arthur was a well-known writer on tribal dances.
Example: He left all his money to a charity for sick elephants.
· in providing details or information about events that happened subsequent to news reports which, when first reported, are usually expressed in present perfect tense.
Negotiations with the insurgent forces have broken down. The leader of the insurgent forces blamed the government for the break down. A government spokesman saidthe insurgent forces made unreasonable demands.
Regular and irregular verbs
· We form the simple past tense of most verbs by adding –ed to the verb. These verbs are called regular verbs. Most verbs are regular verbs.
The simple past tense of some verbs does not end in –ed. These verbs are
the irregular verbs.
· The simple past tense irregular verbs can only be used in the positive, not negative.
Example: He kept all his money under the mattress. (NOT: He did not kept all his money under the mattress.)
Regular verbs and irregular verbs as expressed in the affirmative and negative.
Regular verbs:
Affirmative – He cycled to work.
Negative – He did not cycle to work. (NOT: He did not cycled to work.)
Irregular verbs:
Affirmative – He stole her purse.
Negative – He did not steal her purse. (NOT: He did not stole her purse.)
Note that was and were are forms of the verb be. Was is the simple past tense of amand is and is used with the pronouns I, he, she and it, and with singular nouns. Were is the simple past tense of are and is used with the pronouns you, we and they,and with plural nouns.
Regular verbs in simple past tense forms:
· Most verbs when expressed in the simple past tense are formed by adding –ed.to the end of the verbs. These verbs, as mentioned above, are called regular verbs.Example: kiss – kissed; touch – touched.
· If a verb ends with –e, only –d is added to change its tense to past simple. Example:live – lived
· If a verb ends in –ie, add –d. Example: lie – lied; belie - belied
· If a verb ends in:
a vowel + –y, just add –ed. Example: employ – employed; buoy – buoyed
a consonant + –y, change the y to i and then add –ed. Example: cry – cried;
pry – pried.
one vowel + one consonant and is a one-syllable verb, double the consonant
and add –ed.
Example: step – stepped; chop – chopped; can – canned
two consonants, just add –ed. Example: pull – pulled; scold - scolded
two vowels + one consonant, don’t double the consonant, add –ed. Example:peep – peeped;leak – leaked; raid – raided
Taken from englishpage.com
Exercises:
Write a passage about your experience that have ever happened to you in the past. (100 words)
