To make the past simple of REGULAR verbs you only have to add -ed to the verb.
live ----- lived
walk ----- walked
To make the past simple of IRREGULAR verbs you have to know the form of that verb in the past. Remember it's the second column of the verb. Unfortunately there is no way to know if a verb is regular or irregular, so study them!!!!
go ----- went
speak ----- spoke
But we are lucky because in the past the verb has the same form for all the persons, there is no change in the third person singular.
I worked went
you worked went
you worked went
he worked went
she worked went
it worked went
we worked went
you worked went
they worked went
POSITIVE
The structure of a sentence is the same as in the present, we only have to use the verb in the past.
Present: I work as a musician
Past: I worked as a musician
Present: They go to the cinema every weekend
Past: They went to the cinema every weekend
Present: She lives in Galway
Past: She lived in Galway
Present: He speaks very fast
Past: He spoke very fast
To form the -ed of the regular verbs in the past there are some rules:
1. If the verb ends in -e we only have to add -d
live ----- lived
hate ----- hated
love ----- loved
2. If the final syllable of the verb is stressed and it is a consonant, then we have to double the consonant
stop ----- stopped
admit ----- admitted
prefer ----- preferred
3. If the verb ends in -l then we also duouble the -l
travel ----- travelled
4. If the verb ends in -y and the -y is preceded by a consonant, the -y turns into -i and we add -ed
try ----- tried
study ----- studied
But if before the -y there is a vowel we just add -ed
play ----- played
enjoy ----- enjoyed
NEGATIVE AND INTERROGATIVE
The structure of the negative and interogative sentences is the same as in the present, we know it is past because instead of the auxiliaries do and does, we use auxiliary DID. And, again, it is the same which person it is, 1st, 2nd, or 3rd, singular or plural, the auxiliary is always did.
In positive sentences we have to know if the verb is regular or irregular to know its past form. In negative and interrogative sentences it is not necessary because we use the infinitive of the verb, in the same way we use it in the present simple.
Examples of negative sentences:
Present: They don't like going to the cinema
Past: They didn't like going to the cinema
Present: She doesn't drink a lot of water
Past: She didn't drink a lot of water yesterday.
Example of interrogative sentences
Present: Do they like going to the cinema?
Past: Did they like going to the cinema?
Present: Does she drink a lot of water?
Past: Did she drink a lot of water yesterday?
Watch this video to learn more about the past simple.
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