Past simple

Level A2 · worked · went · saw

What is the past simple?

The past simple tells a finished action at a time in the past. It is the main tense for stories and for talking about yesterday, last week or 2019.

When you use it

Finished events: I visited Paris last year.
Telling a story step by step.

Pattern

regular: verb + -ed · irregular: learn the form

Examples

We **watched** a film. — regular: watch → watched
She **went** home early. — irregular: go → went

Remember: The most common verbs are irregular: go → went, see → saw, have → had. Learn them as pairs.

The rule

Use the past simple for finished actions. Regular verbs add -ed; many common verbs are irregular.

Common irregular verbs: go → went, see → saw, have → had, make → made, take → took, buy → bought, eat → ate, come → came

Now → yesterday: I walk to work. → Yesterday I walked to work.

Important

Questions and negatives use did + base verb: Did you go? I didn't see it.

Common mistakes

Not: ~~I goed home.~~ — But: I went home.
Not: ~~Did you saw it?~~ — But: Did you see it?

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