Practice
English practice: past simple questions and negatives
Sign in to saveYou want to ask about yesterday's meeting. Say Did you call Mia? If the call did not happen, say I didn't call Mia. In both sentences, call stays in the base form.
Ask and answer simple past questions and make negative sentences with did or didn't plus the base verb.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Did you call Mia yesterday? /dɪd juː kɔːl ˈmiː.ə ˈjes.tə.deɪ/
The short answer
For most past simple questions, use did before the subject and the base verb after it. For a negative, use did not or didn't before the base verb. Say Did he leave? and He didn't leave, not Did he left? or He didn't left.
Did your brother cook dinner last night?
Why it works: Did marks the past in the question, so cook is the base form.
5 more examples
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Did Noor wash the dishes after lunch?
Did comes before the subject Noor, and wash stays in the base form.
Not this:Noor
washedthe dishes after lunch. What changes: A positive past sentence uses washed because it does not include did. -
I didn't forget my appointment yesterday.
Forget is the base form after didn't.
Not this:I
forgotmy appointment yesterday. What changes: Forgot is the irregular past form in a positive past sentence. -
Where did you put the spare key?
The question word comes first, then did, the subject, and the base verb put.
Not this:You
putthe spare key in the drawer. What changes: Put has the same spelling in its base form and simple past form, but this positive sentence does not need did. -
We did not buy any fruit at the market.
Buy remains a base verb after did not.
Not this:We
boughtfruit at the market. What changes: Bought is used for an affirmative past action without did. -
Why didn't the bus stop near the library?
Didn't comes before the subject in this negative question, and stop is the base form.
Not this:The bus
stoppednear the library. What changes: Stopped is the regular past form in an affirmative sentence.
Read the full guide
First, decide whether you need a question or a negative sentence. Put did at the beginning of most yes or no questions. Put did not after the subject for a negative. Then check that the main verb is its base form.
Start a past simple question with did
For most yes or no questions about the past, begin with did. Put the subject next, then the base verb. This order asks whether a finished action happened.
Did they arrive before the film started?
Did is before they, and arrive is the base verb.
Put the words in order: did / your friend / text / you / yesterday?
Did your friend text you yesterday? Put did before the subject and use text as the base verb.
Keep the main verb in its base form
Did already tells the listener that the time is past. Do not add a second past ending to the main verb. This rule applies to regular verbs and irregular verbs.
Did Elena visit her aunt last weekend?
Visit follows did in its base form. Did Elena visited is not a standard question.
Did you see the notice by the door?
See is the base form after did. Saw is the positive past form.
Choose the correct question: Did he went home, or Did he go home?
Did he go home? Go is the base form after did.
Add a question word when you need details
Use what, where, when, why, or how before did when you need more than a yes or no answer. The rest of the question keeps the same order: did, subject, base verb.
When did the concert end?
When asks for the time. Did still comes before the subject the concert.
Why did Leo leave early?
Leave is a base verb after did, even though the action happened in the past.
Complete the question: Where did you ___ your coat? Use put.
Where did you put your coat? Put stays in the base form after did.
Make a negative with did not or didn't
Put did not after the subject to say an action did not happen. In everyday English, didn't is common. Both forms take the base verb after them.
The guests did not stay for dessert.
Did not comes after the subject the guests and before the base verb stay.
I didn't bring my charger to work.
Bring is the base form after didn't. Brought would be used in a positive past sentence.
Complete the sentence: We didn't ___ the map. Use find.
We didn't find the map. Find is the base form after didn't.
Ask a negative question carefully
A negative question can show surprise or ask for confirmation. Begin with didn't, then add the subject and the base verb. Use this form when the negative meaning is part of the question.
Didn't your package arrive this morning?
Didn't comes first, and arrive stays in the base form.
Choose the correct question: Didn't she call you, or Didn't she called you?
Didn't she call you? Call stays in the base form after didn't.
Use was or were with be
The verb be has a different past pattern. Put was or were before the subject for a question. Put not after was or were for a negative. Do not use did with was or were.
Were the roads busy after the match?
Were is the past form of be for the plural subject the roads.
My phone was not charged last night.
Was not is the negative past form of be with the singular subject my phone.
Complete the sentence: They ___ not ready at noon. Use were.
They were not ready at noon. Use were not with they, not did not be.
Before you go
Remember this
Use did before the subject in most past simple questions. Use did not or didn't after the subject for negatives. After did or didn't, choose the base verb, even when the positive past form is irregular. Use was or were for questions and negatives with be.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
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Try the written questionsQuestions about "English practice: past simple questions and negatives"
How do I make a past simple question?
For most past simple questions, put did before the subject and use the base verb after it. Did Noor wash the dishes after lunch? is correct because wash follows did in its base form.
Did Noor wash the dishes after lunch?
Why do I use the base verb after did?
Did already shows that the question is about the past, so the main verb does not need another past form. Did Elena visit her aunt last weekend? uses visit, not visited.
Noor washed the dishes after lunch.
How do I make a past simple negative?
Use the subject, did not or didn't, and the base form of the verb. I didn't forget my appointment yesterday is correct because forget follows didn't.
I didn't forget my appointment yesterday.
Can I ask a past simple question with where or why?
Yes. Put the question word before did, then use the subject and base verb. Where did you put the spare key? asks for a place, while Why did Leo leave early? asks for a reason.
I forgot my appointment yesterday.
Do I use did with was and were?
No. Use was or were directly with the verb be. Were the roads busy after the match? is a past question, and My phone was not charged last night is a past negative.
Where did you put the spare key?