Grammar
Simple past: finished actions and past states
Where did you go last weekend? A small verb change helps your story.
Your verb choice shows when something happened and how you ask about it. Start with the quick rule or follow the full lesson through examples and recordings.
Try what you have learned
Listen to a recording, type what you hear, and check your answer.
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didn't go DID-unt-GOH
You may not hear a clear t before go. Listen for the whole phrase.
The short answer
Use the simple past for finished events or states at a past time. Most verbs use -ed or a special past form; be uses was or were.
I watched a great film last night.
Why it works: You name last night as the time of the completed film.
3 more examples
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Talking about summer holidays
We visited our cousins in Rome last summer.
Last summer places the visit in a finished past period.
Not this:We
have visitedour cousins in Rome last summer. What changes: The present perfect does not fit this visit with last summer. -
Replying to a coworker
I didn't see your text this morning.
You keep see in its base form after didn't.
Not this:I
didn't sawyour text this morning. What changes: Saw is the wrong main-verb form after didn't. -
Morning shopping
She bought fresh bread before breakfast.
The past form of buy is bought.
Not this:She
buyedfresh bread before breakfast. What changes: Buyed is not the past form of buy.
Quick check
Which sentence asks about a finished event correctly?
Answer: Where did you buy your coat?
Show the answer
Answer: Where did you buy your coat?
After did, you need the base verb buy, not bought.
Read the full guide
Try the listening exerciseYour coworker asks about the weekend. You want to say where you went and how you felt. The verb form helps you place both details in the past.
Questions and negatives with did
The problem: I write did or didn't with went or saw, instead of go or see.
To ask about yesterday, you often need did before the subject (who or what acts). The main verb keeps its base form, the dictionary form. For a negative, use didn't.
-
Not this:
I didn't saw you at the station.Say: I didn't see you at the station.
Did already marks the past. You need see after didn't.
-
Did you take the train to work today?
Why it works: The verb take stays in its base form after did.
-
We didn't watch the football match last night.
Why it works: The word watch stays in its base form after didn't.
Your turn
Which sentence correctly says you received no email from your friend this morning?
Answer: I didn't get your email this morning.
Show the answer
Answer: I didn't get your email this morning.
Use didn't with the base verb get, not the past form got.
Regular and irregular past forms
The problem: I write goed or buyed because I expect every verb to add -ed.
You can add -ed to walk. Some verbs need a spelling change before that ending. Others have an irregular form, such as went, or stay the same, like put.
| Base form | Past form |
|---|---|
| walk | walked |
| live | lived |
| study | studied |
| stop | stopped |
| go | went |
| buy | bought |
| see | saw |
| put | put |
-
I bought a cup of coffee at seven.
Why it works: Use bought when you describe this completed purchase.
-
She went to the bank before it closed.
Why it works: Went and closed can both be past forms in one sentence.
Your turn
Complete the sentence with the past form of go.
Answer: We went to the park after lunch.
Show the answer
Answer: went
Go has the special past form went, not goed.
Past simple versus present perfect
The problem: I use have or has with a finished past time word like yesterday instead of using the past simple.
When you name yesterday, you place the event in a finished time. Use the simple past for that event. The present perfect connects a past event with now.
You name a finished time and say what happened then.
I finished the report yesterday.
You count what has happened from the start of today until now.
I've finished two reports so far today.
-
They visited London in 2021.
Why it works: The year 2021 is completely over.
Your turn
Which sentence uses the simple past correctly for yesterday's movie?
Answer: We saw that movie yesterday.
Show the answer
Answer: We saw that movie yesterday.
Use saw for this event yesterday. Have seen does not fit that finished time.
Use was for a past state
The problem: I add was before action verbs, but miss it when I describe a past state.
Be has two past forms: was and were. You do not add did. Make a negative with not. Start a yes-or-no question with was or were.
-
Not this:
She was called me at five.Say: She called me at five.
She made the call, so use called without was here.
| Use with | Past state | Negative and question |
|---|---|---|
| I / he / she / it | She was busy. | She wasn't busy. Was she busy? |
| you / we / they | They were busy. | They weren't busy. Were they busy? |
- Leo
Were you at the office at five?
- Maya
No, I wasn't. I called from home.
Your turn
Which sentence correctly asks about your friend's past location?
Answer: Were you at home last night?
Show the answer
Answer: Were you at home last night?
Use were with you. This question does not need did.
Before you go
Question 1 of 2
Arrange the words to ask a question about the past.
Answer: Did you lock the door?
Show the answer
Answer: Did you lock the door?
Put did before you. Lock keeps its base form in this question.
Question 2 of 2 · One new sentence
You want to explain why you were late yesterday. Which sentence is correct?
Writing an email about yesterday's commute
Answer: I missed the early train, so I took the bus.
Show the answer
Answer: I missed the early train, so I took the bus.
Both missed and took are correct finished past forms.
Remember this
Check which verb carries the past. After did or didn't, use the base form. For a past state with be, choose was or were to match your subject.
Listen first
Listen and write
Listen, type what you hear, then choose Check my answer. Use a hint when you get stuck.
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Listening 1 of 3
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I didn't see your message last night.
Use didn't with the base verb see for past negatives.
Listening 2 of 3
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0:00
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Didn't you finish your work on time?
This yes-or-no question uses didn't before you.
Try a longer clip. Listen once, then replay the part you missed.
Listening 3 of 3
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0:00
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Tom locked the door and walked to the station. He didn't miss his morning train. He arrived at the office before nine.
Past stories combine regular -ed verbs and didn't with base forms.
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Test yourself
Listen to a new clip and write what you hear. You can replay it, but hints stay off and the transcript opens after you check your answer.
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Listening 1 of 4
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Talking about weekend plans that did not happen
0:00
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We didn't visit the art gallery yesterday.
Use didn't before the base verb visit for past negatives.
Listening 2 of 4
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Explaining a shopping trip after work
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She didn't buy a winter coat yesterday.
Use didn't followed by the base form buy.
Listening 3 of 4
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Explaining why an evening out ended quickly
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They didn't like the loud music at the cafe. They paid the bill and left very early. Then they walked home along the river.
Use didn't for negatives and irregular forms in positive statements.
Listening 4 of 4
Listen, then type the missing words. The rest of the text is already there.
A person tells the story of relocating to a new town
0:00
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I lived in Leeds for five years after university. I didn't want a noisy flat in the city centre. So I moved to a quiet village near London. I found a great job at a local school. My sister helped me unpack all my heavy boxes. We cooked dinner together and listened to the radio.
Finished stories connect simple past verbs and negative base forms.
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Save my progressQuestions about "Simple past: finished actions and past states"
Do all simple past questions need did?
No. Use was or were directly in questions with be. If who asks about the person doing an action, ordinary positive questions without extra emphasis use the past verb without did. When you ask about the person receiving the action, did is usually needed.
Who opened the side gate?
Who did Elena invite to dinner?
How do I write a negative past question without didn't?
For a yes-or-no question, put did before the person and not after them. Next use the base verb. With the short form, didn't comes before the person. Using the full form can add emphasis.
Didn't Omar book a table?
Did Omar not book a table?
Can I use the simple past with today?
Yes, when you treat an event as finished. Today does not force you to use the present perfect. That form is useful when you mean time up to now. Compare a completed morning task with a total so far.
I mailed the parcel at nine today.
I've mailed three parcels so far today.
How do I spell regular verbs in the simple past?
Usually, add -ed. Add only -d after a final e. After a consonant and y, change y to i before -ed, as in tried. Keep y after a vowel, as in played. Some short verbs double the last consonant, as in stopped. Check a dictionary when you are unsure.
I tried a new recipe on Sunday.
We played cards after dinner.
The taxi stopped beside the hotel.
Must I give an exact time with the simple past?
No. Your listener may know which past time you mean. You can also describe habits from a past period without giving a date for every action. Add a time phrase when your listener needs it.
We talked about the trip. I showed everyone my photos.
At school, I played chess during lunch breaks.
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