The past simple

Can

Verb “tobe”

Verb “usually”

Confirm

Formula: S + was/ were + O

S = I/ He/ She/ It (singular) + was

S= We/ You/ They (plural) + were

Example 1: My computer was broken yesterday.

Example 2: They were in Paris on their summer holiday last year. (They were in Paris on vacation last summer.)

Formula: S + V-ed/ VQK (irregular)+ O

When conjugating regular verbs in the past tense, we only need to add the suffix "-ed" at the end of the verb

There are some verbs that, when used in the past tense, do not follow the rule of adding “-ed”. We need to memorize these verbs.

Example 1: She watched this film yesterday.(She watched this movie yesterday.)

Example 2: I went to sleep at 11p.m last night. (I went to bed at 11 last night)

Negative

S + was/were not + Object/Adj

For negative sentences, we just need to add "not" after the verb "to be".

ATTENTION:

– was not = wasn’t

– were not = weren’t

For example:

– She wasn't very happy last night because of having lost money. (She was unhappy last night because she lost money)

- We weren’t at home yesterday. (Yesterday we were not at home.)

S + did not + V (infinitive)

In tensepast simple negative sentence. We borrow the auxiliary verb “did + not” (abbreviated as “didn’t), the verb follows in the infinitive form.)

Example 1: He didn’t play football last Sunday. (He didn't play football last Sunday.)

Example 1: We didn’t see him at the cinema last night. (We didn't see him at the cinema last night.)

Doubt

Question: Was/Were+ S + Object/Adj?

Answer: Yes, I/ he/ she/ it + was.

– No, I/ he/ she/ it + wasn’t

Yes, we/ you/ they + were.

– No, we/ you/ they + weren’t.

For questions, we just need to invert the verb "to be" before the subject.

Example 1: Was she tired of hearing her customer’s complaint yesterday? (Is she tired from hearing customers complain yesterday?)

Yes, she was./ No, she wasn’t.

Example 2: Were they at work yesterday? (Did they work yesterday?)

Yes, they were./ No, they weren't. (Yes, they do./ No, they don't.)

Question: Did + S + V(infinitive)?

In the simple past tense with questions, we borrow the auxiliary verb "did" inverted before the subject, and the verb follows in its infinitive form.

Example 1: Did you visit Ha Noi Museum with your class last weekend? (Did you visit the Hanoi museum with your class last weekend?)

Yes, I did./ No, I didn't. (Yes, I do./ No, I don't.)

Example 2: Did she miss the train yesterday? (Did she miss the train yesterday or not?)

Yes, She did./ No, She didn't. (Yes, he does./No, he doesn't.)