A2 Grammar: Simple Past Tense

A2 Grammar: Simple Past Tense

ESL Grammar Course

A2: Elementary

An old calendar or clock representing the past

Simple Past Tense

We use the Simple Past tense to talk about completed actions, events, or states in the past. The action is finished and has a clear beginning and end.

Scope & Content:

  • Affirmative: Regular (`-ed`) and common irregular verbs.
  • Negative with `did not`: `I did not work.`
  • Interrogative with `did`: `Did you work?`

⚠️ Attention: Common Challenges

1. Irregular Verbs: Many common verbs are irregular in the past tense and do not end in `-ed`. These must be memorized.

  • go → went
  • see → saw
  • eat → ate

2. The Auxiliary Verb `DID`: Just like `do/does` in the present, `did` is the essential helper verb for all past tense negatives and questions (for most verbs).

  • Correct: “Did you go to the party?” (Incorrect: Did you went?)
  • Correct: “She did not see the movie.” (Incorrect: She not saw the movie.)
  • Important: After `did`, the main verb ALWAYS returns to its base form. The `did` carries the past tense meaning.

Practice Quiz

1. I ____ to the beach last weekend.

2. ____ you see the game on TV yesterday?

3. She ____ her homework, so she couldn’t go out.

4. They ____ a delicious meal at the new restaurant.

5. What ____ you do on your vacation?

6. He ____ at the company for ten years before he retired.

7. I ____ a noise, so I went to investigate.

8. We ____ to call you, but your phone was off.

9. Why ____ they leave the party so early?

10. I ____ a great book last month.