past simple

use

• finished states, events and actions that happened at a specific time in the past - example: i visited paris last summer.
• completed actions that happened in sequence - example: i woke up, had breakfast, and left for work.

regular verbs

form

affirmative

• i started school at the age of 6.
• you / he / she / it / we / they started school at the age of 6.

spelling rules

general rule: start → started

exceptions:

• live → lived
• try → tried
• plan → planned
• refer → referred
• cancel → cancelled
• picnic → picnicked

negative

• i / you / he / she / it / we / they didn't (did not) start school at the age of 6

interrogative

• did i / you / he / she / it / we / they start school at the age of 6?

short answers

• yes, i / you / he / she / it / we / they did. 
• no, , i / you / he / she / it / we / they didn't.

irregular verbs

form

affirmative

• i bought a new tablet yesterday.
• you / he / she / it / we / they bought a new tablet yesterday.

negative

• i / you / he / she / it / we / they didn't (did not) buy a new tablet yesterday.

interrogative

• did i / you / he / she / it / we / they buy a new tablet yesterday?

short answers

• yes, i / you / he / she / it /we / they did.
• no, i / you / he / she / it /we / they didn't.

1. verbs with three different forms - example: begin, began, begun
2. verbs that do not change - example: cut, cut, cut
3. verbs with the same form in the past simple and past participle - example: have, had, had

signal words

time expressions:

• yesterday
• last week / month / year
• two days ago

dates and years in the past:

• in 1995