See it in action
Level A1Read or listen first. Don’t worry about the rules yet — just notice the verbs in bold.
Sam’s day at the coast
Last Saturday, Sam went to the coast with two friends.
They left early and arrived before ten.
The sea was very cold, so they didn’t swim.
They walked along the beach and had lunch in a little café.
In the evening they drove home, tired but happy.
Quick check
“Walked” and “arrived” end in -ed. What about “went”, “left” and “had”?
Regular verbs add -ed (walk → walked). Irregular verbs change: go → went, leave → left, have → had.
Quick check
Is Sam at the coast now?
The past simple talks about finished actions at a finished time: last Saturday.
When to use it
Level A11. A finished action at a finished time
I called my mum yesterday.
We moved to Leeds in 2020.
2. One action after another (telling a story)
She woke up, had a shower and left for work.
3. Past states and habits in a finished period
As a child, I lived in a small village.
We went to the beach every summer.
Quick check
“I lived in Paris for two years.” Do I live there now?
The past simple shows the time is finished. If you still live there, say “I’ve lived in Paris for two years”.
Form: was / were and -ed
Level A1The past simple has one form for every person: I worked, she worked, they worked. Only be changes: was with I / he / she / it, were with you / we / they.
| visit | be | |
|---|---|---|
| Positive | She visited Rome. | I was / they were tired. |
| Negative | She didn’t visit Rome. | I wasn’t / they weren’t tired. |
| Question | Did she visit Rome? | Was I / Were they tired? |
| Short answer | Yes, she did. / No, she didn’t. | Yes, they were. / No, they weren’t. |
We watched a great film last night.
My parents were on holiday last week.
Quick check
My parents ___ at home last night.
My parents = they, so use were. Use was with I, he, she and it.
Irregular verbs
Level A1–A2Many common verbs don’t add -ed. You need to learn them:
| Base | Past simple |
|---|---|
| go | went |
| see | saw |
| buy | bought |
| eat | ate |
| take | took |
| have | had |
| read | read (pronounced “red”) |
Negatives and questions
Level A1–B1Use didn’t / Did + the base form — the past is already in “did”.
I didn’t go to the party.
Did you see the match?
Where did they go last summer?
When who or what is the subject, there’s no did:
Who called you?Someone called you — who?
Who did you call?You called someone — who?
Quick check
Someone phoned you last night. Your friend wants to know who it was. She asks:
The person who phoned is the subject, so there’s no did: Who called you? “Who did you call?” asks about the person you phoned.
Short answers
Answer with the same helping verb as the question — not the main verb, not do / does: Did…? → did / didn’t; Was / Were…? → was / were.
Did she call you? — Yes, she did. / No, she didn’t.
Wrong: Were they late? — No, they didn’t.Were they late? — No, they weren’t.
Were you and Tom at home? — Yes, we were.You and Tom = we, so the answer uses we.
-ed: spelling and sound
Level A2Spelling
- Most verbs: add -ed — work → worked, play → played.
- Ending in -e: add -d — live → lived, dance → danced.
- Consonant + y: -ied — study → studied, carry → carried.
- Vowel + y: just add -ed — play → played, enjoy → enjoyed.
- One vowel + one consonant at the end of a stressed syllable: double it — stop → stopped, plan → planned. No stress at the end, no doubling: visit → visited, open → opened.
- British -l: travel → travelled (US: traveled).
Saying -ed
The ending has three sounds. Listen and repeat:
- /t/ after p, k, f, s, sh and ch: stopped, worked, laughed, washed
- /d/ after most other sounds: played, lived, opened
- /ɪd/ — an extra syllable — after t and d: wanted, waited, needed, decided
Wrong: We stoped at a café.We stopped at a café.
He worked. She played. They waited.
Quick check
Which verb has an extra syllable in the past?
After t and d, -ed is an extra syllable: need-ed. “Stopped” and “played” have only one syllable.
Time words
Level A2–B1The past simple goes with finished times. Each time word has its own place:
- yesterday — yesterday, yesterday morning
- last + time word, without “the” — last night, last week, last summer
- length of time + ago — two days ago, three years ago
- in + year, month or season — in 2019, in July, in the summer
- on + day or date — on Monday, on Saturday morning, on 3 May
I saw her two days ago.“Ago” goes after the length of time.
Wrong: I saw her the last week.I saw her last week.
Wrong: We moved here on 2019.We moved here in 2019.
used to
Level B1–B2Used to + base form = a past habit or state that isn’t true now.
I used to play the piano when I was younger.
She didn’t use to like vegetables.
Did you use to walk to school?After did, write use to — without -d.
Wrong: I used to playing the piano.I used to play the piano.Used to + base form, never -ing.
Don’t mix it up with be used to + -ing, which means “be familiar with”: I’m used to getting up early.
Quick check
“I used to play the piano.” Do I play it now?
Used to is for past habits and states that are not true now.
Passive: it was built
Level B1Use the passive when what happened matters more than who did it — or when we don’t know who did it. Form: was / were + past participle. Add by to say who did it.
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| Someone stole my bike last night. | My bike was stolen last night. |
| They built the bridge in 1890. | The bridge was built in 1890. |
| Shakespeare wrote Hamlet. | Hamlet was written by Shakespeare. |
The match was cancelled because of the rain.
We weren’t invited to the wedding. Were you invited?Negative: wasn’t / weren’t. Question: Was / Were + subject + participle.
Wrong: The emails was sent yesterday.The emails were sent yesterday.
Quick check
“My bike was stolen last night.” Do we know who took it?
There’s no by + person, and the passive puts the focus on the bike — we don’t know (or don’t say) who stole it.
Past simple or present perfect?
Level B1–B2If you say when (a finished time), use the past simple. For experiences up to now, with no finished time, use the present perfect.
I visited Japan in 2019.
I’ve visited Japan twice so far.
Wrong: I have seen him yesterday.I saw him yesterday.
Quick check
I ___ him yesterday.
Yesterday is a finished time, so use the past simple.
Advanced uses
Level C1–C2Once the basics feel easy, these uses help you talk about wishes, add emphasis and sound formal.
Show the advanced uses
Unreal past: wishes and “it’s time”
After a few expressions, the past simple doesn’t talk about the past. It talks about now (or the future) and shows that something isn’t true, or hasn’t happened yet.
| Expression | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| It’s time / It’s high time / It’s about time + subject + past | It should happen now — it’s already a bit late. | It’s time we left. |
| I’d rather + another person + past | What I want someone else to do (or not to do). | I’d rather you didn’t tell anyone. |
| I wish / If only + past | A wish about now: it isn’t true. “If only” is stronger. | I wish I knew the answer. |
It’s high time you found a job.You haven’t found one yet, and you should.
I’d rather they came tomorrow.
If only we had more free time!
For the negative, use didn’t + base form: I’d rather you didn’t smoke in here.
Wrong: I wish I know the answer.I wish I knew the answer.Not the present, not will — the past simple.
Quick check
“It’s high time you found a job.” Do you have a job now?
It’s (high) time + past simple talks about now: you don’t have a job yet, and the speaker thinks you should.
Quick check
“I wish I knew the answer.” Do I know the answer?
After wish, the past simple talks about the present: I don’t know the answer, but I’d like to.
Emphatic did
To stress that something really happened — often because someone doubts it — use did + base form in a positive sentence. When you speak, stress “did”.
I did lock the door — I’m sure!
Wrong: We did paid the bill — we’re sure!We did pay the bill — we’re sure!The past is in did, so the verb stays in the base form (not did paid, do pay or was pay).
Inversion after negative words (formal)
In formal writing and speeches, a sentence can start with a negative or limiting word for drama. Then the word order changes, like a question: opener + did + subject + base form.
| Normal | Inverted |
|---|---|
| She didn’t know that the police were watching. | Little did she know that the police were watching. |
| He never imagined that the plan would work. | Never did he imagine that the plan would work. |
| He didn’t apologise once. | Not once did he apologise. |
| They rarely / seldom spoke about the war. | Rarely / Seldom did they speak about the war. |
| It was only then that she realised what had happened. | Only then did she realise what had happened. |
| We didn’t arrive at the hotel until midnight. | Not until midnight did we arrive at the hotel. |
Other openers work the same way: Only later, Only after the meeting, Under no circumstances.
Under no circumstances did she agree to sign the contract.
Wrong: Little she did know the truth.Little did she know the truth.Did comes before the subject, and the verb stays in the base form (not did she knew).
Quick check
Not once ___ for the delay.
After Not once at the start, use did + subject + base form: Not once did he apologise.
Common mistakes
Level AllWrong: She didn’t went home.She didn’t go home.
Wrong: Did you saw it?Did you see it?
Wrong: He goed to the park.He went to the park.
Wrong: They was late.They were late.
Wrong: I seen it yesterday.I saw it yesterday.“Seen” is the participle: I have seen.
Wrong: Yesterday I go to work by bus.Yesterday I went to work by bus.With a past time, the verb must be in the past.
Wrong: Did she call you? — Yes, she was.Did she call you? — Yes, she did.
Remember
- Use it for finished actions and states at a finished time: yesterday, last week, in 2019.
- One form for every person; only be changes: was / were.
- Regular verbs add -ed (said /t/, /d/ or /ɪd/); irregular verbs must be learnt: go → went.
- Negatives and questions use didn’t / Did + base form: She didn’t go. Did you see it?
- Used to = a past habit or state that isn’t true now.
- With a finished time, don’t use the present perfect: I saw him yesterday.
Practise the past simple
Pick your level. Irregular verbs, spelling, questions, used to, “find the mistake” and more — new exercises every time.
- A1Beginnerwas / were, regular -ed and common irregular verbs.Start
- A2ElementaryQuestions with did, short answers, spelling and ago / last.Start
- B1IntermediateMore irregulars, used to, wh- and subject questions.Start
- B2Upper intermediatePast simple vs. present perfect and tricky questions.Start
- C1AdvancedUnreal past, emphatic did and inversion.Start
- C2ProficientIt’s time we… / I’d rather you… and formal inversion.Start