De Past simple gebruik je aan te geven dat iets in het verleden is gebeurt en is afgelopen. Het gaat hier dus om voltoide handelingen in het verleden.
She walked to school yesterday
Bij de Past simple geef je een wanneer in het verleden aan in de zin.
Denk hierbij aan:
| Frequentie | Often, sometimes, always |
| Moment; tijdsdeel | Last week, 2 weeks ago, before I was born |
| Onbepaald moment | A long time ago. centuries ago, the other day |
I always walked home during breaks.
We talked for oursabout Marvel two weeks ago.
He played guitar ages ago.
Regelmatige werkwoorden
| Bevestigend | ||
| Onderwerp | + werkwoord + ed | |
| I | Loved | |
| Negatief | ||
| Onderwerp | + did not | + infinitief zonder to |
| We | didn't (did not) | leave |
| Vragend | ||
| Did | + onderwerp | + infinitief zonder to |
| Did | he | call? |
| Vragend ontkennend | ||
| Did not | + onderwerp | + infinitief zonder to |
| Didn't | they | run? |
| Voorbeeldwerkwoord: To talk | ||
| Bevestigend | Ontkennend | Vragend |
| I talked | I didn't talk | Did I talk? |
| You talked | You didn't talk | Did you talk? |
| She/he/it talked | She/he/it didn't talk | Did she/he/it talk? |
| We talked | We didn't talk | Did we talk? |
| They talked | They didn't talk | Did they talk? |
| You talked | You didn't talk | Did you talk? |
| Werkwoorden Be, Have en Do | |||
| Onderwerp | Werkwoord | ||
| Be | Have | Do | |
| I | Was | Had | Did |
| You | Were | Had | Did |
| She/he/it | Was | Had | Did |
| We | Were | Had | Did |
| They | Were | Had | Did |
| You | Were | Had | Did |
Onregelmatige werkwoorden
In de ontkennende vorm komt er geen -ed meer achter het werkwoord in de bevestigende vorm. De werkwoorden veranderen. Hieronder zie je een aantal voorbeelden.
| Voorbeeldwerkwoord: To go | ||
| Bevestigend | Ontkennend | Vragend |
| I went | I didn't go | Did I go? |
| You went | You didn't go | Did you go? |
| She/he/it went | She/he/it didn't go | Did she/he/it go? |
| We went | We didn't go | Did we go? |
| They went | They didn't go | Did they go? |
| You went | You didn't go | Did you go? |
| Voorbeeldwerkwoord: To give | ||
| Bevestigend | Ontkennend | Vragend |
| I gave | I didn't give | Did I give? |
| You gave | You didn't give | Did you give? |
| She/he/it gave | She/he/it didn't give | Did she/he/it give? |
| We gave | We didn't give | Did we give? |
| They gave | They didn't give | Did they give? |
| You gave | You didn't give | Did you give? |
| Voorbeeldwerkwoord: To come | ||
| Bevestigend | Ontkennend | Vragend |
| I came | I didn't come | Did I come? |
| You came | You didn't come | Did you come? |
| She/he/it came | She/he/it didn't come | Did she/he/it come? |
| We came | We didn't come | Did we come? |
| They came | They didn't come | Did they come? |
| You came | You didn't come | Did you come? |
| Voorbeeldwerkwoord: To choose | ||
| Bevestigend | Ontkennend | Vragend |
| I choose | I didn't choose | Did I choose? |
| You chose | You didn't choose | Did you choose? |
| She/he/it chose | She/he/it didn't choose | Did she/he/it choose? |
| We chose | We didn't choose | Did we choose? |
| They chose | They didn't choose | Did they choose? |
| You chose | You didn't choose | Did you choose? |