How do we construct the simple past?

Verb + ed / irregular verbs

• I went to the cinema yesterday.


• He shopped at Wal-Mart.


• She phoned her mum.


• They stopped at the petrol station.

Negative form of simple past

Did not / didn’t

• Last year, I didn’t go to India.


• I didn't stay for the dance.

Forming questions with simple past

• Did you go to the cinema yesterday?

We can use the simple past for a series of actions that happened in the past.

• He woke up, went to the kitchen and had breakfast.

We can also use it with a duration in the past. (10 minutes, all day, years)

• I lived in Seville for 2 years.