Theorie Past Simple

• Engels
• Middelbare school

I use the Simple Past for

1. actions finished in the past.
2. actions happening at the moment of speaking.

Typical signal words for the Simple Past are

1. already, just, so far, yet.
2. yesterday, last week, a month ago, in 2010.
3. at the moment, Listen!, Look!, now.

VERBS

REGULAR and IRREGULAR

INFINITIVE

The base form of a verb.

For example:

to be, to have, to talk, to cry, to see, to go

REGULAR VERBS

Verbs that end with -ed or -d when written in the past tense.

Exceptions:

to cry = cried

to enjoy = enjoyed

regular verb + ed

walk + ed

kick + ed

clean + ed

remember + ed

regular verb (-e) + d

bake + d

recycle + d

smile + d

reg. verb (consonant + y) + ied

to try = tried

to fry = fried

to spy =  spied

reg. verb (vowel + y) + ed

to enjoy = enjoyed

to stay = stayed

reg. verb (1 vowel + 1 consonant)

We double the consonant

to stop = stopped

to travel = travelled

to clap = clapped

I add .......... to the infinitive of REGULAR VERBS. (aan het eind van het werkwoord)

1. -ed
2. -es
3. -et
4. -d

If the REGULAR VERB ends in -e, I only add ...... to the infinitive. (aan het eind van het werkwoord)

1. -s
2. -t
3. -ed
4. -d

Verbs that end with consonant + y ...

1. -ied
2. -ed

Verbs that end with vowel + y...

1. -d
2. -ed

reg. verb (1 vowel + 1 consonant)

1. Double consonant + ed
2. Double consonant + d

IRREGULAR VERBS

1st column = verb (infinitive)

2nd column = verb (past tense)

3rd column = verb (past participle)

1st column

 (INFINITIVE)

to go

to write

to eat

to drink

to think

2nd column

(SIMPLE PAST)

went

wrote

ate

drank

thought

3rd column (PAST PARTICIPLE)

 auxilliary verb + past participle 

has + gone

 was + written

were + eaten

Example sentences

infinitive (1st column):to write

simple past (2nd column): I wrote it on a piece of paper.

past participle (3rd) column): I have/had it written on a piece of paper.

When I write a sentence with IRREGULAR VERBS in the simple past, I use the verb form in the....

1. 1st column of irregular verbs
2. 2nd column of irregular verbs
3. 3rd column of irregular verbs

I use .................. to form the negative.
(simple past)

1. do+not+infinitive of the verb
2. have/has+not+past participle of the verb
3. did+not+infinitive of the verb

C

did+not+infinitive of the verb

I did not take your pen.

I did not laugh at the comedy show.