Past simple tense | English grammar rules

Learn the past simple tense with this English grammar video lesson.

The past simple tense has several uses. Its main use is to describe a completed action in the past. We also use it to describe a series of completed actions and to describe the duration of an action from the past.

The grammar rules for spelling the past simple affirmative form are as follows:

For regular verbs, we add -ed to the infinitive. For verbs which already end in a silent -e, we simply add -d (die - died for example). For regular verbs ending in a consonant and -y, we change the "y" to "i" and add -ed (hurry - hurried for example). For regular verbs ending in a consonant + vowel + consonant where the final syllable is stressed, we double the consonant and add -ed (stop - stopped and prefer - preferred for example) In British English, for regular verbs ending in -l, we always double the -l (cancel - cancelled for example). In American English, for verbs ending in -l, we follow the stressed syllable rule mentioned above.

For irregular verbs, there are no rules for the past simple form. You simply have to learn them. Some examples of irregular verbs are: buy - bought, go - went, do - did.


The question form of the past simple is: "Did" + the subject + the verb in the infinitive form ( "Did you close the door?" for example)

The negative form is: The subject + "did not" (or "didn't" in the contracted form) + the verb in the infinitive form ( "I didn't like the film" for example)

At the end of the lesson, you will find some grammar exercises to test your understanding.

If you have any questions, please ask me in the comments section below the video lesson and I will answer.

The accent in the video is a British English accent.

Here are some other English lessons:

Past perfect tense:    • PAST PERFECT TENSE | English grammar ...  
Past continuous:    • PAST CONTINUOUS TENSE | English gramm...  


More grammar lessons:    • learn English grammar  

Listening exercises:    • English listening practice  

Vocabulary videos:    • learn English vocabulary  

Private English lessons & speaking practice: http://goo.gl/fTlmee


Andrew,
Crown Academy of English
http://www.crownacademyenglish.com
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