Past simple tense
The past simple tense is a verb form used to describe actions, events or states that started and finished at a specific time in the past. It is formed with the base verb plus "-ed" for regular verbs (walked, played) or an irregular past form (went, ate, saw), and is often paired with time markers like "yesterday" or "last year".
Types of past simple tense
Regular verbs
Formed by adding '-ed' (or '-d') to the base verb, with spelling changes in some cases.
e.g. walked, studied, stopped
Irregular verbs
Do not follow the '-ed' pattern and must be memorised individually.
e.g. went, took, saw
Past simple of 'be'
The verb 'be' has two past simple forms depending on the subject.
e.g. I was tired., They were late.
Negative and question forms
Formed using the auxiliary 'did' plus the base verb, except for 'be'.
e.g. did not/didn't go, Did you see it?
Rules to remember
- Add '-ed' to regular verbs (play → played); verbs ending in 'e' add only '-d' (like → liked); verbs ending in a single vowel + consonant often double the consonant (stop → stopped); verbs ending in consonant + 'y' change 'y' to 'i' before adding '-ed' (study → studied).
- Irregular verbs have unique past forms that must be learned separately, such as go → went, have → had, and eat → ate.
- Negatives are formed with 'did not' (didn't) plus the base form of the verb: 'She didn't call' not 'She didn't called'.
- Questions are formed with 'Did' plus the subject plus the base form: 'Did you finish?' not 'Did you finished?'.
- The verb 'be' does not use 'did'; instead it changes to 'was' (I/he/she/it) or 'were' (you/we/they) for statements, negatives and questions.
Examples in sentences
| Example | How it works |
|---|---|
| I visited my grandparents last weekend. | Regular verb 'visited' shows a completed past action. |
| She went to Paris in 2019. | Irregular verb 'went' with a specific past time marker. |
| They were not ready when we arrived. | Negative form of 'be' combined with another past simple verb. |
| Did you finish the report yesterday? | Question formed with 'Did' plus the base verb 'finish'. |
| He didn't understand the instructions at first. | Negative form using 'didn't' plus base verb, not the past form. |
| We studied together every evening last summer. | Regular verb with a 'y' to 'i' spelling change before '-ed'. |
| I was at work when the storm started. | Two past simple verbs, 'was' and 'started', describing a past situation and event. |
Common mistakes
Incorrect: She didn't went to the meeting.
Correct: She didn't go to the meeting.
Incorrect: Did you saw the film?
Correct: Did you see the film?
Incorrect: I goed to the shop yesterday.
Correct: I went to the shop yesterday.
Why this matters for IELTS
Using the past simple accurately, especially with correctly formed irregular verbs and 'did' questions/negatives, is essential for describing past experiences in IELTS Speaking Part 2 and Writing Task 2. Examiners assess Grammatical Range and Accuracy, so mixing regular and irregular past forms correctly, and avoiding double-marking errors like 'didn't went', signals strong control of tense and can raise your band score.
Frequently asked questions
What is the past simple tense used for?
It is used to describe completed actions, events or states that happened at a specific, finished time in the past, such as 'I called her yesterday.'
How do you form negatives in the past simple?
Use 'did not' or 'didn't' followed by the base form of the verb, for example 'He didn't arrive on time', not 'He didn't arrived'.
What is the difference between past simple and present perfect?
Past simple describes finished actions at a specific past time (I ate breakfast at 7am), while present perfect links the past to the present without a specific time (I have eaten breakfast already).
Put your grammar to the test
Take a free IELTS practice test and get instant band scores with expert feedback.
Try a free Writing test