SIMPLE PAST
Affirmative Sentences
Negative Sentences Yes/No Questions
Wh Questions
Affirmative Statements
With the verb BE (was/were)
With any other verbs
With the Verb BE
IShe HeIt
was
I was born in San Jose in 1978.My sister (she) was at the library last night.
My brother (he) was at the party until 9 p.m.The dog (it) was at the backyard.
With the Verb BE
YouWe They
were
You were born in San Carlos, weren’t you?My cousin and I (we) were at the library.
My brother and my sister (they) were born in 1990.
GO BACK
With any other verbs
I learned /d/ English when I was a 13.My girlfriend danced /t/ reggaeton at the party.
My parents invited /id/ their friends to a restaurant.
REGULAR VERBS
I ate gallo pinto for breakfast this morning.My sister drank orange juice.
My brother read the newspaper.My parents woke up at 9 a.m.
IRREGULAR VERBS
Check the lists of both REGULAR and IRREGULAR verbs in
www.materials4students.wikispaces.com
Learn them by heart!
REGULAR VERBS /d/
• cry /ai/ = cried /ayd/
• play /ey/ = played /eyd/
• copy /iy/ = copied /iyd/
• call /l/ = called /ld/
• dream /m/ = dreamed /md/
• clean /n/ = cleaned /nd/
• follow /ow/ = followed /owd/
• enjoy /oy/ = enjoyed /oyd/
• answer /r/ = answered /rd/
• love /v/ = loved /vd/
• realize /z/ = realized /zd/
GO BACK
REGULAR VERBS /t/
• wash /sh/ = washed /sht/
• watch /ch/ = watched /cht/
• laugh /f/ = laughed /ft/
• talk /k/ = talked /kt/
• help /p/= helped /pt/
• dance /s/ = danced /st/GO BACK
REGULAR VERBS /id/
/t/
• invite /t/ = invited /tid/
• want /t/ = wanted /tid/
/d/
• need /d/ = needed /did/
• avoid /d/ = avoided /did/GO BACK
Negative Statements
With the verb BE (wasn´t/weren´t)
With any other verbs(did not or didn´t + verb in present)
With the Verb BE
IShe HeIt
was not(wasn’t)
I wasn´t born in San Jose in 1978.My sister (she) wasn´t at the library last night.
My brother (he) wasn´t at the party until 9 p.m.The dog (it) wasn´t at the backyard.
With the Verb BE
YouWe They
were not(weren´t)
You weren´t born in San Carlos, were you?My cousin and I (we) weren´t at the library last night.
My brother and my sister (they) weren´t born in 1990.
GO BACK
With any other verbs
I didn´t learn English when I was in school.My girlfriend didn´t dance reggae at the party.
My parents didn´t invite their friends anywhere.
REGULAR VERBS
I didn´t eat gallo pinto for breakfast this morning.
My sister didn´t drink orange juice this morning.My brother didn´t read the newspaper today.
My parents didn´t wake up at 7 a.m today.
IRREGULAR VERBS
Yes-No Questions
With the verb BE(Was…?/Were…?)
With any other verbs(Did … + verb in present)
EXAMPLES
“Was I late to classes?” “Yes, you were.” or “No, you weren’t.”
“Was my sister at the party last night?”“Yes, she was.” or “No, she wasn´t.”
“Was my brother at the beach last week?”“Yes, he was.” or “No, he wasn´t”
“Was the dog at the garden?”“Yes, it was.” or “No, it wasn´t.”
EXAMPLES
“Were you late to the meeting?” “Yes, I was.” or “No, I wasn’t.” (singular)
“Were you (you and your cousin) late today?” “Yes, we were.” or “No, we weren´t.” (plural)
“Were we early to class?”“Yes, we were.” or “No, we weren´t.”
“Were your brother and sister at the party?”“Yes, they were.” or “No, they weren´t”
GO BACK
With any other verbs
(Did … + verb in simple present?)Affirmative Answer: Yes, ____ did.
Negative Answer: No, _____ didn´t.
Yes, I did. No, I didn´t.
Did you go to the movies last Sunday?
Yes, he did. No, he didn´t.
Did your father work at the airport in 1970?
Wh Questions
With the verb BE (Wh word + was/were…?)
With any other verbs(Wh word + did … + verb in present?)
Where were you born?I was born in Costa Rica.
Where was your sister last night?She was at the party.
Where were your friends yesterday?They were at the bar.
With the verb BEGO BACK
Wh Questions
General QuestionWhat did you do ________?
You can use different verbs to answer this question.
What did you do last weekend?I went to the beach; I swam in the ocean; I stayed at a hotel; I ate sea food and I drank soda; I danced at the disco and I slept late.
Wh Questions
What did you eat at the party?I ate chifrijo and tortilla chips.
The past tense of “eat” is “ate”.
AuxiliaryDID
Verb in present
Verb in past