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The past simple is the most common way of talking about past events or states which have finished. It is often used with past time references (e.g. yesterday, two years ago).
Please explain past events or states!

A past event could be one thing that happened in the past, or a repeated thing.
I stopped at a zebra crossing.
Wecarried on with the test.
Weplayed tennis every day in August.
A state is a situation without an action happening.
We stayed at my grandparents' house last summer.
How do you form the past simple?

Regular past simple forms are formed by adding - ed to the infinitive of the verb.

Yes, but there are some spelling rules. If a verb ends in - e, you add - d.

If a verb ends in a vowel and a consonant, the consonant is usually doubled before - ed.

If a verb ends in consonant and - y, you take off the y and add - ied.

But if the word ends in a vowel and - y, you add - ed.

OK, not quite so easy! But the past simple form doesn't change at all for I, you, he, she, we and they, does it?

No, the form doesn't change. See, it is easy!

What about the pronunciation of the - ed ending?

There are three kinds of pronunciation: /d/, /t/ and /ɪd/. Look at the table below.

Aaagh! How do I know how to pronounce each one?

Good question. Well, really all you need to know is that /d/ is easier to say after arrive, and /t/ is easier to say after ask. For /ɪd/, the infinitive ends in a /d/ or a /t/ sound already so you must add an extra syllable for these verbs.

All right, that makes sense, but how do you form questions and negatives?

With the verb did (do in the past) + the infinitive.

Right, thanks, I've got it now!

Good. But you also need to learn the irregular past simple forms.

You mean there are verbs that don't end in - ed in the past?

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Alfie took his driving test for the second time this morning. Did he pass?

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Imperatives

We can use imperatives to give orders and instructions.

How to use them

The imperative is the same as the verb. We use the verb without you.

For a negative order or instruction, use don't.

Use please to be more polite.

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We can use imperatives to give orders and instructions. The imperative is the same as the verb. We use the verb without you. For a negative order or instruction, use don't. Use please to be more polite.

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Articles

We can use articles before nouns.

How to use them

We use a and an with singular nouns. We use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound.

The first time we mention a noun, we use a or an. The next time, we use the.

She had a sandwich and an apple for lunch. She didn't like the sandwich.
We've gotan old car. The car is blue.

We don't usually use articles for people's names, countries or meals.

My best friend is called Mai.
Is she from Japan?
They had breakfast at 9 o'clock.

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We can use articles before nouns. We use a and an with singular nouns. We use a before a consonant sound and an before a vowel sound. The first time we mention a noun, we use a or an. The next time, we use the. She had a sandwich and an apple for lunch.

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Adverbs of frequency: always, sometimes, often, etc.

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Adverbs of frequency: always, sometimes, often, etc.

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Do you want to practise using adverbs of frequency in English?

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We can use like, don't like, love, hate and don't mind + ing to say how we feel about an activity.

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Much and many

We can use much and many to talk about quantities. We can also use a lot of or lots of.

How to use them

We usually use a lot of or lots of in positive sentences.

For things we can count, we use many or a lot of (or lots of) in negative sentences and questions.

For things we can't count, we use much or a lot of (or lots of) in negative sentences and questions.

To ask about quantities, we use how many for things we can count and how much for things we can't count.

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We can use much and many to talk about quantities. We can also use a lot of or lots of. We usually use a lot of or lots of in positive sentences. For things we can count, we use many or a lot of (or lots of) in negative sentences and questions.

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Past simple - questions

We can use past simple questions to ask about the past.

Did you have fun with your friends yesterday?
Where did she go for her last holiday?
What did they watch on TV last night?

How to use them

Use did and the verb, but don't change the verb to the past form.

Did you have a nice weekend?
Whatdid he learn at school yesterday?
Whendid they see the film?

We usually add time words at the end.

Did they play a game yesterday?
Did you visit LearnEnglish Kidslast week?
What did he have for dinnerlast night?

We make yes or no answers with did or didn't.

Did you finish your homework? Yes, I did.
Did your friend call you yesterday? No, shedidn't.

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We can use past simple questions to ask about the past. Did you have fun with your friends yesterday? Where did she go for her last holiday? What did they watch on TV last night? Use did and the verb, but don't change the verb to the past form.

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Past simple - sentences

We can use past simple sentences to talk about things we did in the past.

How to use them

For regular verbs, the past simple ending is ed, for example:

For irregular verbs, there is a special past simple form, for example:

For negatives, use didn't and the verb, but don't change the verb to the past form.

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We can use past simple sentences to talk about things we did in the past. For regular verbs, the past simple ending is ed, for example: For irregular verbs, there is a special past simple form, for example: For negatives, use didn't and the verb, but don't change the verb to the past form.

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Past simple - verb 'to be'

We can use the past simple of the verb to be to talk about situations and states in the past.

I was at my gran's house yesterday.
Shewas with her friends last Saturday.
Wewere happy yesterday.

How to use it

I was hungry this morning.
You were in the garden yesterday.
It was sunny yesterday.
They were at the beach last weekend.

For negatives, use not. We can contract not and the verb, especially when we're speaking.

I was not late for school this morning. = I wasn't late for school this morning.
Hewas not at home last Saturday. = He wasn't at home last Saturday.
Wewere not cold yesterday. = We weren't cold yesterday.

For questions, change the order of was or were and the person.

Were you tired this morning? Yes, I was.
Was she at the park last Sunday? No, she wasn't.
Wherewas he yesterday?

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We can use the past simple of the verb to be to talk about situations and states in the past. I was at my gran's house yesterday. Shewas with her friends last Saturday. Wewere happy yesterday. I was hungry this morning. You were in the garden yesterday. It was sunny yesterday.

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Do you want to practise using the present simple of the verb to be in English?

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Do you want to practise using the present simple and present continuous in English?

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Do you want to practise using pronouns in English?