Past Simple
Dutch introduction
The past simple is een onvoltooide werkwoord in het verleden tijd, dat een activiteit in het verleden uitdrukt zonder hulpwerkwoorden.
Voorbeeld
Vorig jaar was ik bij oma op bezoek.
Last year, I visited my grandmother.
English explanation
Meaning
We use the past simple, to talk about finished actions and experiences in the past.
Form
We form the past simple by adding -ed to (most) verbs.
Positive: I talked on the phone.
Negative: I did not talk on the phone.
Question: Did i not talk on the phone?
The past simple has only 2 forms of to be: was and were.
Subject | Verb | ||
Be | Have | Do | |
I | was | had | did |
You | were | had | did |
She/he/it | was | had |
did |
We | were | had | did |
You | were | had | did |
They | were | had | did |
The past conditional if clause
Form: [if + past simple]
Use: refers to a time that is now or anytime, and a situation is unreal. See the explanation below.
If you went to bed earlier, you wouldn't be so tired.
If i spoke English, i would go to England.
Exceptions
After a final e only add d save - saved
Final y after consonant becomes i carry - carried
Final consonant after a short, stressed vowel is doubled admit - admitted
Final consonant after a vowel is doubled travel - travelled
Irregular verbs
We also have alot of irregular verbs in the past tense. See the list below.
So when do we use the past simple and how?
1.Action finished in the past
Example: Last year, i visited my grandmother.
Explanation: Here, we talk about and action we did in the past. Also, notice the -ed in visited and the words Last year. This is a past simple because we have applied -ed and there is a time table.
2. Series of actions in the past.
Example: I got up out of bed, drank my milk and went to school.
Explanation: Here, we describe series of finished actions in the past. Also, note the irregular verbs in this sentence.
3. Together with the past continuous
Example: She was driving her car, when her phone rang.
Past continuous: ongoing action in the past. Past simple: interrupted action in the past.
She was driving her car |
when her phone rang |
Explanation: As you can see in the example above. We can also use the past simple together with the past continuous. These are both actions that have happened in the past. The past continuous describes and action in the past that was ongoing for a longer time and then suddenly, it was interrupted by another action in the past (past simple).
Affirmative sentences (bevestigende zinnen) in the past simple
I talked on the phone.
We answered the phone.
You visited me last summer.
She invited me over.
He walked slowly.
They washed the dishes.
Affirmative sentences in the past simple with irregular verbs
I went to the mall.
We sold our car.
You spent alot of money.
She sent her a postcard.
He went to the mall.
Negative sentences (ontkennende zinnen) in the past simple
I did not sleep well.
We did not eat well.
You did not drive well.
She did not sing well.
He did not listen well.
Negative sentences in the past simple with irregular verbs
I did not let the stray cat in.
We did not let the strat cat in.
You did not let the stray cat in.
She did not let the stray cat in.
He did not let the stray cat in.
Questions and negatives
We use did to make questions with the past simple.
Did you go shopping yesterday.
Did you do your homework?
Did he play soccer when he was young?
Irregular verbs list