PAST TENSE
PAST SIMPLE
Form
Use
Time expression
Spelling of verb + -ed
Irregular verbs
PAST SIMPLE
I worked in New York.
She studied English 7 years ago.
They left school at 5 o’clock.
FORM
(Positive)
FORM
(Positive)
I worked in New York.
I didn’t work in New York.
She didn’t study English 7 years ago.
They didn’t leave school at 5 o’clock.
FORM
(Negative)
She didn’t study English 7 years ago.
FORM
(Negative)
FORM
(Short question)
Did you work in New York?
Did she study English 7 years ago?
Did they leave school at 5 o’clock?
Did they leave school at 5 o’clock?
FORM
(Short question)
FORM
(Short question)
Yes, S + did
No, S + didn’t (did not)
FORM
(Question)
When did she study English?
When did they leave school?
When did she study English?
FORM
(Question)
USE
A finished action in the past:
John left 3 minutes ago.
Thomson and Tintin met in 1960.
I went to Hanoi last week.
2. Actions that follow each other in a story
Mary walked into the room and stopped.
She listened carefully. She heard a noise
coming from behind the curtain. She threw
the curtain open, and then she saw a monster…
3. A past situation or habit

When I was a child I lived in a
small town near the sea. Every
morning my uncle and I walked
for miles along the beach…
This is often expressed with used to
- I used to live in a small village near the sea.
- I and my uncle used to walk for miles
Last night
Two days ago
Yesterday morning
In 2008
In winter
When I was young
…
Time expression
Most verbs add –ed to the base form of the verb
worked
wanted
helped
watched
covered
…
Spelling of verb + -ed
liked
used
hated
cared
moved
…
2. When the verb ends in –e, add –d
Spelling of verb + -ed
3. If the verb has only one syllable, with one vowel + one consonant, double the consonant before adding –ed.
Spelling of verb + -ed
stopped
planned
robbed
hugged
…
Note
4. The consonant is not doubled if it is –y or –w
Spelling of verb + -ed
played
showed
bowed
…
Spelling of verb + -ed

5. In most two-syllable verbs, the end consonant is doubled if the stressed is on the second syllable.
preferred
admitted
…
Note
6. Verbs that end in a consonant + -y change the –y to –ied.
Spelling of verb + -ed
carried
hurried
buried
…
Note
Pronunciation
Pronunciation
/id/
For verbs ending with t /t/ and d /d/
wanted
needed
prevented
divided
…
For verbs ending with f/f/, p/p/, k/k/, ch /t /, sh//, x/ks/, s/s/ and ss /s/
Pronunciation
/t/
laughed
cooked
boxed
focused
kissed
…
Pronunciation
/d/
The rest . . .
opened
changed
allowed
preserved
…
Irregular verbs
bite bit bit
cut cut cut
fly flew flown
get get get
run ran run
speak spoke spoken
…