Past simple – Form

Spelling of regular verbs

Past simple irregular
Irregular verbs don’t add -ed to make the past simple. Some very common irregular verbs are:

Past simple – Use
Completed actions in the past
We use the past simple to talk about actions or events that happened in the past. We know, or we say, when the events happened.
- I saw Jim yesterday.
- We didn’t go out last Saturday. We stayed at home.
- She moved to Chester three years ago.
Past habits
We use the past simple to talk about past habits (things that we did more or less often).
- She washed her hair every day.
- She worked as a nurse.
- I often played in the park when we were children.
Situations that were true in the past
We also use the past simple to talk about things that were true in the past.
- My grandfather had two brothers.
- He lived with my grandparents as a child.
Events in chronological order
We use the past simple to describe the main events of a story in chronological order.
- When I arrived home, I took off my shoes and then I relaxed on the sofa.