Page 55 - English Grammar - 8

Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense is used to talk about:
 an action that took place in the past. For example:
We went to New York for a holiday.
O
 an action that took place regularly in the past. For example:
We always enjoyed visiting our cousins.
O
 the things that were true for some time in the past. For example:
I lived in Mumbai for 10 years.
O
Formation of Sentences in Simple Past Tense
To make a positive sentence, we add -d, -ed or -ied to the root form of a verb.

The train left at 7 a.m.
O
To make a negative sentence, we add did not (didn’t) before the root form of a verb.
They did not go by train.
O
To make an interrogative sentence, we add did followed by the subject and the root form
of a verb. For example:
Did Anand travel by train?
O
For most regular verbs, the simple past is formed by adding -d, -ed or -ied. For irregular
verbs, the form changes entirely. Here are some examples.

Verb Simple Past Verb Simple Past
be was/were lead led
begin began lie lay

break broke lose lost
bring brought make made
buy bought mean meant
build built meet met

choose chose pay paid
come came run ran
do did say said

draw drew sell sold
drive drove send sent
eat ate sit sat
feel felt speak spoke Simple Tenses

find found spend spent
get got stand stood
give gave take took
go went teach taught

have had tell told
hear heard think thought

53