_Grammar-A1_6-past-simple

Grammar A1 past simple 1

Recommended for:

Gold Experience

Focus

High Note

2019

An introduction to the past simple

Let’s look at:

• When we use the past simple.
• How we make sentences with the verb to be in the past simple.
• Regular verbs in the past simple.
• How we make negative statements in the past simple.

When do we use it?

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Function: the past simple

Amazing! My sister and her husband moved to France 10 years ago. They lived in Paris first. They were happy there, but wanted to be in a small town. Now they live in Lille.

Last year, I travelled to France by train. It was fun! I really liked France.

Yes: Last year, 10 years ago.

Yes.

Did all the events and feelings they mention happen at these times?

Do they mention any specific times in the past?

Are the events finished/completed?

The past.

Yes. The time periods (last year, 10 years ago) and the events are finished/completed.

Look at the highlighted sections. Are they talking about the present or the past?

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Function: When do we use it?

1. To talk about completed or finished actions in the past.

Last year, I travelled to France by train.

He travelled in the past. The action is completed. He isn’t travelling now.

2. To describe states or feelings from a specific time in the past.

He had these feelings at this specific time in the past (last year).

It was fun! I really liked France.

3. Often used with past time expressions (which refer to specific times).

Other past time expressions used with the past simple are:

1. Yesterday

2. Last month/year/week

3. 10 years/a month ago

4. In 1997

The verb to be in the past simple.

Last year , I travelled to France by train.

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Form: the verb to be in the past simple

Amazing! My sister and her husband moved to France 10 years ago. They lived in Paris first. They were happy there, but wanted to be in a small town. Now they live in Lille.

Last year, I travelled to France by train. It was fun! I really liked France.

It was fun!

They were happy there

Look at the conversation again. Find two examples of the verb to be in the past simple.

person

verb to be : positive

verb to be: negative

I, She, He, It

You, We, They

It wasn’t fun!

was

wasn’t (was not)

Now look at the example negative sentences and complete the table.

They weren’t happy there

Complete the table with the correct form of to be in the positive and match the examples.

weren’t (were not)

were

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Form: the verb to be in the past simple

Amazing! My sister and her husband moved to France 10 years ago. They lived in Paris first. They were happy there , but wanted to be in a small town. Now they live in Lille.

Last year, I travelled to France by train. It was fun ! I really liked France.

person

I, She, He, It

verb to be : positive

Verb to be : negative

was

You, We, They

wasn’t (was not)

were

weren’t (were not)

e.g. It was fun!

e.g. It wasn’t fun!

e.g. They were happy there.

e.g. They weren’t happy there.

Was/wasn’t is the same as is/isn’t or am/am not in the present simple.

Were/weren’t is the same as are/aren’t in the present simple.

Regular verbs in the past simple.

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Form: regular verbs in the positive

Amazing! My sister and her husband moved to France 10 years ago. They lived in Paris first. They were happy there, but wanted to be in a small town. Now they live in Lille.

Last year, I travelled to France by train. It was fun! I really liked France.

moved

travelled

lived

liked

wanted

We add -ed .

What do we add to the verb to create a regular conjugation in the past simple?

Look at the conversation again. Can you find five examples of regular verbs in the past simple? The first one is done for you.

Sometimes the spelling changes a little. Is there an example here?

Yes – travelled: double ‘l’ +

-ed .

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Form: regular verbs in the positive

We add - ed to the verb to make a regular past simple conjugation.

regular verbs in the past simple

wanted

liked

visited

cooked

decided

travelled

danced

arrived

studied

watched

lived

played

Here are some examples of regular past simple verbs.

Double consonant + - ed .

Verb ends in the letter

Here, the verb ends in

- e so just + -d.

- y ( study ) and it changes to - ied . This doesn’t always happen, e.g. play – played.

Notice how some of the verbs have some small changes in spelling.

In American English, travelled only has one ‘l’ .

Let’s consider…

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Let’s consider pronunciation.

There are three different ways to pronounce the - ed past simple ending.

regular verbs in the past simple

wanted

liked

visited

decided

travelled

cooked

danced

studied

arrived

watched

lived

played

Let’s look at this table again. Notice the three different columns.

verbs ending an voiced sound = + /d/

verbs ending in /t/ or /d/ = + /Id/ EXTRA SYLLABLE

verbs ending an unvoiced sound = + /t/

The pronunciation of the - ed ending depends on the last sound in the verb.

Verbs that end in a voiced sound (your throat vibrates when you make the sound) = + /d/ sound.

NO EXTRA SYLLABLE.

Verbs that end in a /t/ or

/d/ sounds = add an extra syllable with /Id/. Look at this example…

Verbs that end in an unvoiced sound (your throat doesn’t vibrate when you make the sound) = + /t/ sound.

NO EXTRA SYLLABLE.

/k/ sound (unvoiced)

/t/ sound

/v/ sound (voiced)

/d/ sound)

LIKE LIKED

LIVE LIVED

/Id/ sound

/t/ sound

WANT WANTED

Negative forms in the past simple.

one syllable

one syllable

one syllable

two syllables

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Form: negatives in the past simple

I liked Paris a lot. My sister didn’t live in the centre. We cooked at my sister’s house a lot and didn’t go to restaurants every day.

didn’t like

I didn’t like Paris. It was very busy and the restaurants were expensive. I preferred the villages.

didn’t live

didn’t go

Look at the continuation of the conversation. Can you find three examples of negative statements in the past simple?

Complete the table using the examples to help you.

person

I, You, He, She, It, We, They

auxiliary verb

main verb

verb infinitive

didn’t (did not)

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Form: negatives in the past simple

I liked Paris a lot. My sister didn’t live in the centre . We cooked at my sister’s house a lot and didn’t go to restaurants every day.

I didn’t like Paris . It was very busy and the restaurants were expensive. I preferred the villages.

person

I, You, He, She, It, We, They

auxiliary verb

main verb

didn’t (did not)

I

verb infinitive

My sister

We

like Paris.

didn’t

live in the centre.

go to restaurants.

The structure is the same with all persons ( I, you, he, etc.).

The verb infinitive is the one you find in a dictionary (but without to ).

Let’s practise!

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Practice activities

Correct the errors in these sentences. Some of the sentences are correct.

was

work

• Our cousin didn’t worked yesterday because she were ill.

• I walkked to class this morning. It was a beautiful day.

• The park was very busy last week, so we didn’t play football.

• Carla danceed a lot at her wedding last year.

• My friend and I didn’t go to the cinema. We watched the film on TV at home.

• They not move house last month. They was happy in their old house.

walked

danced

were

didn’t move

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