SIMPLE PAST

I. STRUCTURE

To construct the simple past:

a) If the verb is found on the Irregular Verbs handout, use the

irregular past form and skip the following steps

b) If the verb ends in the combination consonant-"y", change the "y" to "i".

c)^* If the verb ends in the combination consonant-vowel-consonant,

double the final consonant (but never double w, x, y).

d) If the verb ends in the combination consonant-"e", remove the final "e".

e) Add "-ed".

Note that the verb "to be" is the only verb that conjugates differently for the first, second, and third person in the past tense:

TO BE - PAST TENSE

I was

We were

You were

He/She/It was

They were

Examples of verbs in the simple past (the rules used in constructing the forms are in parentheses):

Infinitive

Simple Past

Infinitive

Simple Past

bring

brought (a)

stop

stopped (c-e)

say

said (a)

sew

sewed (e)

went (a)

wash

washed (e)

study

studied (b-e)

aim

aimed (e)

play

played (e)

create

created (d-e)

^*Do not double the final consonant if the final syllable of the verb in the infinitive is not accented. Examples:

listen ---> listened offer ---> offered

II. APPLICATION

Use the SIMPLE PAST to express past actions. Examples:

-I saw a movie yesterday. -He called me last week.

-She arrived late this morning. -He lived in Seattle when he was young.

Key Words: Any word that indicates a specific past time.

Examples: yesterday, last night, this morning,

5 minutes ago, when I was a child, ....

Note: DO NOT CONFUSE SIMPLE PAST and PRESENT PERFECT. Present Perfect is used for actions which began in the past, but which continue into the present, directly or indirectly.