How to use the Past Simple correctly

The Past Simple serves as the foundation upon which beginner students rely in next levels, as more complex tenses are usually discussed in comparison to the rules of this one.

Contents

1. The formation of the Past Simple
     1.1. Regular verbs
     1.2. Irregular verbs
     1.3. The verb “to be”
     1.4. The difference between “was” / “were” and “did”
2. Modal verbs in the Past Simple: examples
3. Expressions “there was”, “there were”
4. Is the Past Simple always about the past?
5. How to learn quickly and effectively

We have a clear list of cases for using this tense in the past.

A distinctive feature of the Past Simple rules is the use of time markers – signal words that actually answer the question "when?" Here are a few examples:

• yesterday;
• the day before yesterday;
• the other day;
• last week, month, year;
• (three) hours, weeks, days ago.

The formation of the Past Simple

It’s a piece of cake and very similar to the structure of the Present Simple. A table of rules along with examples will help you understand all the nuances:

The affirmative sentence has two verb forms (V2) and (Ved) because this tense involves both regular and irregular verbs.

Regular verbs

Regular verbs are verbs that change according to a certain pattern. All you have to do when using them in the past is to add the ending -ed:

• cook – cooked;
• like – liked.

However, it is important to consider certain spelling rules for words:

Irregular verbs

Irregular verbs are exceptions to the rules. That is, they do not take the -ed ending; instead, their forms change completely. It is important to memorize these words because you will consistently use irregular verbs in this tense, so neglecting their study is not advisable.

The verb “to be”

The formation of the Present and the Past Simple tenses is quite similar. In particular, this applies to the verb "to be" and its forms:

The similarity lies in the fact that "to be" changes its form depending on the person it is used with. In the past, it has two forms: 

• was – I, he, she, it (singular);
• were – you, we, they (plural).

Additionally, in this tense, "to be" does not require the use of the auxiliary verb "did". Therefore, when constructing questions or negative sentences, we just use "was” / “were".

The difference between “was” / “were” and “did”

"Did" is an auxiliary verb that is not translated but merely indicates the use of the Past Simple tense in the sentence. "Was” / “were" is the main verb that is translated and acts as the link in the sentence. These two verbs can’t coexist in a sentence simultaneously.

Always remember the structure: Subject + Verb + Object.

Using "was” / “were" and "did" in the same sentence violates the fundamental rule of sentence construction, as it results in having two verbs in succession.

Modal verbs in the Past Simple: examples

Modal verbs are a group of special verbs in English used to express necessity, possibility, permission, prohibition, and so on. One distinctive feature is that they remain unchanged regardless of person or number.

They do not follow the typical rules, so their forms need to be memorized. Let's look at a table:

Let's look at some examples then:

• I could jump very high at school.
• You might have called me when you got home!
• She had to study hard to get the scholarship in the university.

Expressions “there was”, “there were”

"There was” / “there were" are examples of constructions used when referring to something that existed or was located in a specific place:

• There was a cup on the table yesterday.
• There were two shops here 5 years ago.

Is the Past Simple always about the past?

This tense is extremely interesting, because in some cases it can express more than just the past.

1. It can describe an imaginary situation in the present.

• If I met him on the street, I would not recognise him.
• If she had a higher salary, she could buy a car. 

2. It can tell us about a present situation that a person regrets or wants to change.

• I wish / if only I were a doctor.

3. This tense is often confused with the Present Perfect. Since English has several variations, Americans tend to simplify the language compared to the British. When Standard British English uses the Present Perfect, in the American variant, the sentence is constructed following the rules of the Past Simple.

How to learn quickly and effectively

1. Do not try to learn all the usages of this tense at once. You should gradually learn the basic rules and move on to more complex ones.
2. Irregular verbs play a crucial role in this tense. Therefore, having learned tables of irregular verbs is the foundation for confidently using the Past Simple in language.
3. The essence of any tense is easier to demonstrate in an understandable context. You can write short stories, connecting this tense with your personal experience.
4. This is one of the most frequently used tenses in the English language, so it is important to take its learning seriously. Only practice will help you learn all the tricks of using the rules!