Past Simple Tense

Past Simple Tense

It is used to express an action that happened or completed in past, usually a very little time before speaking, or action which is just completed. Time of action is not specified in terms of long time ago or short ago but it make a sense that the action has done a little time ago. For example, a person says, “I watched a movie”, it means the speaker of this sentence watched a movie a little time ago or little time ago in the same day.

Rules:2nd form of verb (past simple) is used as main verb in the positive sentences and base form is used in negative and interrogative sentences.

Structure of sentences

Positive Sentence
      • Subject + main verb (past simple) + object
      • Subject + 2nd form of verb (past simple) + object

Examples
      I killed a snake
      He ate a mango.

Negative sentences
       • Subject + (auxiliary verb + not) main verb (base form) + object
       • Subject + did not + 1st form of verb or base form + object

In negative sentence “did not” is written and the 1st form of verb (base verb) is used instead of using 2nd form (or past simple verb).

Examples.
       I did not kill a snake
       He did not eat a mango

Interrogative sentences
     • Auxiliary verb + subject + main verb (base verb) + object
     • Did + subject + 1st form of verb (or base verb) + object

Interrogative sentence starts with “did” and the 1st form of verb (base verb) is used instead of using 2nd form (or past simple verb).

Examples
     Did I kill a snake?
     Did he eat a mango?
More Examples

Negative sentences
        He gave me a gift
        They went to cinema.
        She wrote a letter to him.
        I made a table.
        You answered correctly.

Negative sentences
        He did not give me a gift
        They did not go to cinema.
        She did not write a letter to him.
        I did not make a table.
        You did not answer correctly.

Interrogative sentences
       Did he give me a gift?
       Did they go to cinema?
       Did she write a letter to him?
       Did I make a table?
       Did you answer correctly?
More Examples.

Positive Sentences
          They have gone to school.
          They have bought a new car.
          I have started a job
          It has rained.
          The guests have arrived
          John has left for home.
          You have told a lie.

Negative Sentences
        They have not gone to school.
        They have not bought a new car.
        I have not started a job
        It has not rained.
        The guests have not arrived.
        John has not left for home.
        You have not told a lie.

Negative Sentences                                                       
       Have they gone to school?
       Have they bought a new car?
       Have I started a job?
       Has it rained?
       Have the guests arrived?
       Has John left for home?
       Have you told a lie?