The Simple
Past Tense, often just called the Past Tense, is easy to use in
English.
If you already know
how to use the Present
Tense, then the Past Tense will be easy.
In general, the Past
Tense is used to talk about something that started and finished at a
definite time in the past.
How to form the Past
Tense in English
The main rule is that
for every verb in English, there is only one form of it in the past tense.
(The exception is the Past
tense of To Be, which has two forms: was and were)
This is totally
different from other languages such as Spanish, French, Italian etc. where you
change the verb ending for every subject.
For example: The past
tense of the verb want is wanted. Wanted is used as the past tense for all subjects/pronouns.
I
wanted
You
wanted
He
wanted
She
wanted
It
wanted
We
wanted
They
wanted
So you just have to
learn one word to be able to use it in the past tense. In this case we just
needed to learn the one word wanted which can be used for all
subjects (or people).
Past Tense Regular
Verbs
To change a regular
verb into its past tense form, we normally add –ED to the end of the verb.
Examples of sentences
using regular verbs in the past tense
Last
night I played my guitar loudly and the neighbors complained.
She kissed me
on the cheek.
It rained yesterday.
Angela watched TV
all night.
John wanted to
go to the museum.
Note: There are three
different ways of pronouncing the –ed at the end of a verb in the past tense.
We recommend reading our guide about the pronunciation of –ED at the end of words.
Negative sentences in
the Past Tense
We use didn't
(did not) to make a negative sentence in the past tense.
This is for regular AND irregular verbs in English.
(Exception is To Be and Modal Verbs such as Can)
Compare the
following:
Present: They don't live
in Canada.
Past: They didn't live in Canada.
The main verb (live in
the example above) is in its base form (of the infinitive). The auxiliary DIDN'T shows
that the sentence is negative AND in the past tense.
NOTICE: The only
difference between a negative sentence in the present tense and a negative
sentence in the past tense is the change in the auxiliary verb.
Both don't and doesn't in
the present tense become didn't in the past tense.
Compare the negative
sentences in the examples below:
Present: You don't need
a mechanic.
Past: You didn't need a mechanic.
Present: You don't walk
to work.
Past: You didn't walk to work.
Present: He doesn't speak
Japanese.
Past: He didn't speak Japanese.
Examples of negative
sentences in the Past Tense
I didn't want
to go to the dentist.
She didn't have
time.
You didn't close
the door.
He didn't come
to my party.
They didn't study
so they didn't pass the test.
We didn't sleep
well last night.
Questions in the Past
Tense
We use did to
make a question in the past tense.
This is for regular AND irregular verbs in English.
(Exception is To Be and Modal Verbs such as Can)
Compare the
following:
Present: Do they
live in France?
Past: Did they live in France?
The main verb (live in
the example above) is in its base form (of the infinitive). The auxiliary DID shows
that the question is in the past tense.
NOTICE: The only
difference between a question in the present tense and a question in the past
tense is the change in the auxiliary verb.
Both Do and Does in
present tense questions become Didn't in past tense questions.
Compare the questions
in the examples below:
Present: Do you
need a doctor?
Past: Did you need a doctor?
Present: Do you
ride your bike to work?
Past: Did you ride your bike to work?
Present: Does he
live in Italy?
Past: Did he live in Italy?
We can also use
a question word (Who,
What, Why etc.) before DID to ask for more information.
