Home Flowers What does past simple. The Past Simple Tense - Simple past tense: rules of use, education, examples. Interrogative form

What does past simple. The Past Simple Tense - Simple past tense: rules of use, education, examples. Interrogative form

Examples of affirmative sentences with translation in Past Simple. In the article, I have prepared simple sentences, you can practice with children, students of the 3rd and senior grades. Also, here I posted interrogative and negative sentences. All examples are from native English speakers.

Simple sentences with translation into Rast Simple

1. I had a doll. I had a doll.
2. Yesterday was Sunday. Yesterday was Sunday.
3. We listened to fairy tales. We listened to fairy tales.
4. Mark watched cartoons. Mark watched cartoons.
5. My mom cooked a cake. My mom made a cake.

6. My dog ​​was black. My dog ​​was black.
7. We played outside. We played outside.
8. He liked my toys. He liked my toys.
9. They asked a teacher. They asked the teacher.
10. She helped her mom. She helped mom.

Rast Simple sentences with irregular verbs

1. We went to the zoo. We went to the zoo.
2. A cat ate. The cat ate.
3. My mom bought a doll. My mom bought a doll.
4. I took my toy. I took my toy.
5. We drank a lemonade. We drank lemonade.

6. Kate saw a rainbow. Katya saw a rainbow.
7. You draw a nice house. You drew a beautiful house.
8. They made nice flowers. They made beautiful flowers.
9. The dog run after the cat. The dog ran after the cat.
10. He told me his secret. He told me his secret.

Past Simple - sentences for high school with translation

1. I understood what the teacher said. I understood what the teacher said.
2. We had seven lessons on Monday. We had seven lessons on Monday.
3. I was at the gym last Sunday. I was at the gym last Sunday.
4. I downloaded mp3 files on the Internet. I downloaded mp-3 files from the internet.
5. She spoken English pretty well. She spoke good English.

6. David worked all Saturday. David worked all Saturday.
7. We watched black and white movies. We watched black and white films.
8. They came here for a week. They came here for a week.
9. He traveled around the world. He traveled the world.
10. She created her own company. She started her own company.

1. I learned English. I studied English.
2. He played football. He played football.
3. We washed our hands. We washed our hands.
4. They cleaned my room. They cleaned my room.
5. She cooked spaghetti. She made spaghetti.

6. We baked a cake. We baked a cake.
7. I brushed my hair. I combed my hair.
9. He fixed his bike. He fixed his bike.
10. She dried her hair. She washed her hair.

1. I read a book. I read a book.
2. I drew a picture. I was painting a picture.
3. I wrote a message. I was writing a letter.
4. I took a nap. I was dozing.
5. I rode my bike. I rode my bike.

6. I swam. I swam.
7.I ate ice-cream. I ate ice cream.
8. I drank water. I drank water.
9. I went to the movies. I went to cinema.
10. I read an article. I read the article.

Past Simple examples of interrogative sentences with translation

1. Did she eat sushi? Did she eat sushi?
2. Where were they lost? Where are they lost?
3. What did he create? What did he create?
4. Who ate candies? Who ate the candy?
5. Did you boil the water? Have you boiled water?

6. Did they usually take the subway to school? Do they usually take the subway to Skoda?
7. Did Mary watch a movie last night? Did Mary watch the movie last night?
8. When did you go to Moscow? When did you go to Moscow?
9. Did she book our flights? Did she book us a flight?
10. Did you make a dinner? Did you cook dinner? I didn't write the letter.
5. You didn’t come to my birthday party. You didn't come to my birthday.

6. He didn’t chop the onions. He didn't cut the onion.
5. Tom didn’t knew that. Tom did not know about it.
7. My father didn’t take a taxi to the airport. My father did not take a taxi to the airport.
8. We didn’t live in America. We didn't live in America.
9. Mark and David were not excellent students in high school. In high school, Mark and David weren't good students.
10. He didn’t eat spicy food when he lived in China. When he lived in China, he did not eat spicy food.

Each temporal form of the English language has its own characteristics. Today we are talking about the properties and uses of time Past Simple Tense - Simple Past.

Peculiarities of using Past Simple Tense

In English, unlike Russian, the past tense (Past) consists of four temporal forms - Past Simple, Past Continuous, Past Perfect, Past Perfect Continuous... By describing an action that happened in the past, they tend to create a problem of choice. However, there are significant differences between the two. It is they who help determine what time is used in each case. Past Simple rules and examples - one of the most common tenses, will tell you how this temporary form is built and when it is used.

When we use Past Simple

Past Simple time is used in the following cases:

  • To describe a fact or a single action in the past:


Yesterday my sisters Mary and Ann went shoping togather - Yesterday my sisters Mary and Ann went shopping together (single action in the past).

Last month the sientists discovered two lost paintings of a famous artist - Last month, scientists discovered two lost paintings of a famous artist (fact in the past).

Note that Past Simple uses the following time markers: yesterday, the day before yesterday, a long time ago, five weeks ago, the other day ( the other day), in 1999 (1999), on Friday (Friday), last month (last month) and others.

  • To describe a state in the past:


Many years ago Edward was a shy boy - Many years ago Edward was a shy boy.

  • To describe repetitive actions in the past, habits that are no longer performed today:


Nancy often went to the libarary last year - Nancy often went to the libarary last year (she doesn't do it now).

Bob liked reading morning newspaper many years ago - Bob liked reading morning newspaper many years ago.

  • To describe the events that followed one Durgim in the past:


My father entered the shop, took a basket and bought a bottle of milk - My father entered the store, took a basket and bought a bottle of milk.

As you can see from the above examples, the English temporal form Past Simple is largely the same as Present Simple. The only thing is that the time of action is transferred from the present to the past.

Affirmative form

Sample sentences for children explain when to use time. But there is another, no less important question - how is Past Simple formed. The following table will help you sort out this not very difficult task.

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In an affirmative sentence, the subject comes first, which can be expressed by a noun or pronoun in the singular or plural. On the second - the verb in the past tense. And here it is important not to rush, but to understand which verb is in front of us - correct or incorrect. If the verb belongs to the group of correct ones, then in Past Simple the ending -ed (to push-pushed) is added to its stem. If the verb is irregular, then you need to refer to the table of irregular verbs and find the desired form in the second column (to eat - ate).

negative form

In negative sentences, the direct word order is preserved: subjects + did not + verb. As you can see from the formula, subjects come first. This is followed by the auxiliary verb did (do in the past tense), the negative particle not (not), and the verb in the basic form without the particle to. Here you should pay attention to the following nuance: the auxiliary verb did "deprives" the main verb of the right to be used in the past tense, since only one verb can be in Past Simple in a sentence.

Question

In the interrogative sentence, the word order is reversed: did + subjects + verb... This grammatical formula suggests that the auxiliary verb did comes to the fore in the English question, which is not translated into Russian and again "takes" the past tense form from the main verb. The subjects are put in the second, and the verb itself without the to part of the particle is in third place.

What have we learned?

Today, the focus is on the English temporary form Past Simple Tense or Simple Past Tense for Grade 2. With examples, the main cases of the use of this time were considered. Formation tables of the affirmative, interrogative and negative forms helped to understand the tasks, how to explain the formation of the verb in Past Simple and how to make sentences with them.

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What is Past Simple (Past Idefinite)

Past Simple (Past Indefinite) Is a simple past tense in English that is used to convey information about a specific event or action that happened in the past.

The name speaks for itself - this temporary form is actually considered the simplest in the ocean of the past tense of the English language. The action could take place in the recent past or in the distant, and its duration, duration or completeness does not matter.

Formula education Past Simple

When using regular English verbs:

The subject + infinitive of a verb without particle « to» + the ending -ed.

My grandma danced a lot when she was young.
My grandma is a lot danced when I was young.

When using irregular English verbs:

The subject + 2 form of the verb.

Jessica hung out with her foreign mates at the record store last week.
Last week Jessica party with his foreign friends.

Bullet words and pointers in Past Simple

The following words and phrases can be referred to the main indicators of time "Past Simple":

  • yesterday- yesterday,
  • last week- last week,
  • two hours ago- two hours ago,
  • then- then,
  • in 1998- in 1998, etc.
Mom bought that bag by Gucci in 2005.
Ma bought that Gucci bag in 2005.
Yesterday they watched their favorite photos from the past.
Yesterday they watched your favorite photos from the past.

Affirmative sentences in Past Simple

The affirmative sentence in Past Simple is pretty simple. First comes subject followed by verb with ending «- ed», If it is correct (regular); or second verb form if it refers to irregular verbs. Regardless of the person and number of the English subject, the predicate remains the same for everyone. Past Simple rules and examples can be found in the table below.

Interrogative sentences in past simple

To create an interrogative sentence ( interrogative sentence) in "Past Simple", you just need to put the auxiliary verb " did", then subject and finally the initial form of a semantic verb(ie the infinitive without the "to" particle).

Negative Sentences in Past Simple

As in a normal affirmative sentence, a negative sentence ( negative sentence) you should start with subject... Next, add the auxiliary verb “ did"With a negative particle" not»: « did not / didn’t", And then we use the infinitive form of the verb without using the particle" to". Voila!

Formula for constructing negative sentences in Past Simple
REGULAR VERB IRREGULAR VERB
I + DIDN'T + PAINT I didn't paint I + DIDN'T + SLEEP I did not sleep
You + DIDN'T + PAINT You didn’t draw You + DIDN'T + SLEEP You did not sleep
She + DIDN'T + PAINT
He + DIDN'T + PAINT
It + DIDN'T + PAINT
She didn't paint
He didn't paint
It didn't paint
She + DIDN'T + SLEEP
He + DIDN'T + SLEEP
It + DIDN'T + SLEEP
She didn’t sleep
He didn’t sleep
It did not sleep
We + DIDN'T + PAINT We didn't paint We + DIDN'T + SLEEP We didn’t sleep
You + DIDN'T + PAINT You didn’t draw You + DIDN'T + SLEEP You haven't slept
They + DIDN'T + PAINT They didn't paint They + DIDN'T + SLEEP They did not sleep

Using Verbs in Past Simple

When it comes to the past tense in English, many probably have a question: "But how to use the verb correctly" be"?" So that such a question does not come to mind, recall that this verb has a couple of forms: “ was» / « were» / « been". Since we are talking about "Past Indefinite", then we, accordingly, need the second options based on the rules for constructing this English-speaking time.

It's time to give a couple of examples " Past simple" for clarity:

Gee, I don "t have any idea where that guy was last time!
Oh my god, yes I have no idea where was that guy last time!
Their kids were typical sweetums and binged on candies almost every day back in the days.
In the past, their children were typical sweet tooth and gorge themselves on sweets almost every day.

Past Simple education in assets and liabilities

When we touch on "Past Simple", it is important to remember that this time has 2 options. One is used for active voice - time " Past Simple Active". The second - for the passive (Passive voice) - time " Past simple passive».

  • Passive voice:

If used correct verbs in " Past simple»:

The subject + verb was/were + infinitive verb without particles « to» with ending «- ed».

That seascape was painted by Edward William Cooke in the 19th century.
That seascape was painted by Edward William Cook in the 19th century.

The subject + verb was/were + 3 the form verb

Their names were forgotten two decades ago.
Their names were forgotten two decades ago.

Affirmative sentence: "Past Simple Passive" vs. "Past Simple Active":

"Black Widow" was written by Iggy Azalea in 2014.
Iggy Azalea wrote"Black Widow" in 2014.
Iggy Azalea wrote the song "Black Widow" in 2014.

Negative sentence: "Past Simple Passive" vs. "Past Simple Active"

Cloud Atlas wasn "t directed by Hayao Miyazaki then.
Hayao Miyazaki didn "t direct"Cloud Atlas" then.
Hayao Miyazaki was not the director of Cloud Atlas at the time.

Interrogative sentence: "Past Simple Passive" vs. Past Simple Active "

Was that mansion built by my ancestors last century?
Did my ancestors build that mansion last century?
Did my ancestors build that mansion in the last century?

Use Cases of Past Simple

The difference between Past Simple and Present Perfect

Past simple Present perfect
The action happened at a certain point in the past. The action ended at an unspecified moment, we have a result, but we do not know in what period of time the action took place.
Elizabeth left us yesterday.
Elizabeth left us yesterday.
Elizabeth has left for Seoul.
Elizabeth left for Seoul.
The action happened at a certain point in the past and cannot be repeated. The action happened, we have a result at the moment, and it can be repeated.
We met Princess Diana.
We met Princess Diana.
We have spoken to Nicki Minaj.
We spoke with Nicki Minaj.
Past Simple - a certain fact in the past, a given that some action took place in the past. We do not know whether it lasted, is still ongoing, or has already ended; it just was. Present Perfect is a specific result of an action at the present moment in time, the action not only happened, but also ended. Whether it finished successfully or not will be clear from the context and the words of the markers.

Nota bene: in order to once and for all deal with "Past Simple" and understand what is the difference between it and "Present Perfect", do not forget to pay attention to the free online simulator from EnglishDom. There you will find not only an explanation of the grammatical nuances of the use of these two tenses, but you will also be able to consolidate the studied material in practice.

Conclusion

So we figured out what this strange time "Past Indefinite" is, and also talked about the differences between "Past Simple" and "Present Perfect". Feel free to use this time in English and share your memories and impressions with friends and colleagues!

We invite you to familiarize yourself with other tenses of the English language

Big and friendly family EnglishDom

Past Simple Tense- the past simple tense, one of the main tenses of the English language, which is studied at the level elementary and on subsequent levels is considered in comparison with other times. To understand the more difficult times, you need to thoroughly know and be able to use the Past Simple time. Today we will tell you in detail about the education and use of this time.

Past Simple Time: Education and Consumption.

Learning Past Simple is a milestone in language learning. Possession of the past tense instantly expands the range of topics for conversation, gives more freedom in expressing thoughts. On the other hand, Past Simple opens up the opportunity for you to explore other, more complex past tenses. You are getting to know new verb forms that you probably haven't used before, which is undoubtedly a huge step forward.

Considering the importance of mastering Past Simple time, a lot of time is devoted to it in the classroom.

When studying any time, we must know how to build a statement and how to use this time, what actions it conveys.

Let's start with the statements.

Statement always starts with a subject followed by a semantic verb. In the statement in Past simple the semantic verb is put in the second form (V2):

I lived in Moscow ten years ago. - I lived in Moscow ten years ago.

He wrote a letter yesterday. - He wrote a letter yesterday.

They came to see us last weekend. “They came to visit us last weekend.

What is the second form of the verb?

This is the form of the verb that is used in the Past Simple tense to convey the past action. You probably know that all verbs are divisible by correct and wrong... Let's talk about regular verbs. They are called correct because they always form the second (and third) forms according to the rule. To form the second form of regular verbs, the ending must be added to the verb ED:

Help - helped
look - looked
work - worked

When adding the ending ED to a verb, its pronunciation and spelling may change, so a number of rules should be remembered.

There are not many of these rules, but you need to understand them well, as now you form the basis for your further study. Therefore, we have dedicated a separate ED ending, which discusses all the features of its use, pronunciation and spelling rules. Be sure to explore! In the same material, we will consider them briefly.

Pronunciation rules for words with the ending ED.

/ id / / t / / d /
Only after sounds / t / and / d / After the voiceless and hissing / p /, / h /, / s /, / k /, / f /, / tʃ /, / ʃ / After all other sounds (voiced and vowels)

Rules for writing words with the ending ED.

Let's move on to writing ED verbs. There are some simple rules:

If the verb ends in a dumb E, then when adding the ending we add only D

close - closed

dance - danced

live - lived

If the verb ends in a closed stressed syllable, then when adding an ending, the final consonant is doubled

* letters X and W at the end of a word are not doubled

admit- admitted

beg - begged

permit- permitted

fix-fixed

row - rowed

If a verb ends in Y with a consonant in front of it, then Y changes to I and ED is added

apply - applied

copy - copied

dry - dried

If there is a vowel before the Y at the end of a word, then the ending is added unchanged:

enjoy - enjoyed

obey - obeyed

play - played

If a verb ends in L and is preceded by a short vowel, then the final consonant is doubled

* in AmE the letter L is not doubled at the end of a word before a short vowel

travel - traveled

quarrel - quarrelled

If a verb ends in R in a stressed syllable, the final R is doubled

occur - occurred

prefer - preferred

star- starred


If the verb is irregular, then you need to refer to the table of irregular verbs and look at the second column. Irregular verb tables are usually found at the end of textbooks. It can be difficult to remember irregular verbs. How to facilitate this task, read in.

The second form of the verb is used only in statements.

V denials and questions(except for the question to the subject), not the second form is used, but the first... The only exception is the subject question, where we do not change the word order and use the second form.

Negation is formed with the auxiliary verb DID and the negative particle NOT. Particle Auxiliary Verb NOT is placed before a semantic verb in the first form. Colloquially, DID NOT is abbreviated to DIDN "T :

Subject DIDN "T V1

I didn’t close the door. - I didn't close the door.

He didn’t answer the question. - He did not answer the question.

We didn "t go on holiday last year. - We did not go on vacation last year.

General issues are formed using the auxiliary verb DID, which is placed before the subject, followed by a semantic verb in the first form:

DID Subject V1 ?

Did you understand the rule? - Do you understand the rule?

Did she find a job? - She got a job?

Did they go to Europe? - Did they go to Europe?

For building information issue in front of the auxiliary verb we put the necessary interrogative word:

WHAT
WHEN
WHY
etc.

DID Subject V1 ?

What did you do yesterday? - What did you do yesterday?

When did she sell her car? - When did she sell her car?

Why did they leave? - Why did they leave?

V question to the subject(Who? Who?) Does not use the auxiliary DID verb, but uses direct word order (as in the statement):

Who V2 ?

Who phoned you yesterday? - Who called you yesterday?

Who repaired the car? - Who fixed the car?

Who told them about it? - Who told them about it?

Consuming Past Simple time.

Now that you know how to form the Past Simple time, let's look at the use cases of this time in English:

1. Past Simple is an action that happened in the past and has nothing to do with the present, a fact about the past:

I went to the movies yesterday. - I went to the cinema yesterday.

She graduated from University last year. - She graduated from the university last year.

They moved to the USA three years ago. “They moved to America three years ago.

2. Past Simple is used if the action was regularly repeated in the past or was habitual, but no longer repeated:

When I was a child, we often went fishing with my father. - When I was a child, we often went fishing with my dad.

She attended gym three times a week to keep fit. - She went to the gym three times a week to keep fit.

They sold fruit and vegetables. “They sold fruits and vegetables.

The USED TO clause and the modal WOULD verb are also used to express regular actions in the past. You can read more about their use.

3. Actions that have taken place in a row, one after another in the past:

I entered the room and greeted everybody. - I entered the room and greeted.

He turned on the TV and sat in his armchair. He turned on the TV and sat down in his chair.

We bought some bread and left the shop. - We bought bread and left the store.

4. When we talk about historical events and figures:

Columbus discovered America. - Columbus discovered America.

The First World War began in 1914. - The First World War began in 1914.

Admiral Nelson defeated the French in the Battle of Trafalgar. - Admiral Nelson defeated the French at the Battle of Trafalgar.

Any time is perceived better if you remember its pointers.

Typical Past Simple timing indicators include: yesterday(yesterday), as well as combinations including words last(past, last) and ago(ago):

Last week - last week
last month - last month
last year - last year
an hour - an hour ago
two days ago - two days ago
three weeks ago - three weeks ago

Also, prepositions of tense can be used in, on, at and others, if the context makes it clear that the action took place in the past:

We had breakfast at 8 o "clock. - We had breakfast at eight o'clock.

Their first lesson was on Tuesday. - Their first lesson was on Tuesday.

He got married in 2000. - He got married in 2000.

Typical mistakes when using Past Simple time:

- incorrect pronunciation of the endings of regular verbs.

You can correct this error by doing the endings reading exercises. Pronounce the endings clearly. Don't try to speak quickly until you pronounce the endings without deafening them.

- adding ED to irregular verbs or using an irregular form of an irregular verb.

You will most likely be understood, but it is best to avoid this mistake. Read more texts in Past Simple, underline regular and irregular verbs with different colors. You can make examples with irregular verbs and give them to familiar teachers to check or.

Many people forget to put DID in front of the subject in questions, or use the second form of the verb in questions and statements.

This problem is relevant for all times. In this situation, only practice will help.

If you are learning English on your own, then you can try this method: write down all the formulas (affirmations, negations, general and informational questions) on the margins of the page, then choose sentences from the texts in Past Simple and form all forms, writing them down opposite the formulas. At first, you will often look at the hint, then less and less, and in the end you will remember everything to automatism. Tested by experience!)

Past Simple is often confused with other tenses. In particular, it is and. It is important to understand the differences here. Read about the differences in the use of tenses in our next articles: and.

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