English as an Additional Language/Simple past tense
The past tense signifies actions that were done in the past. Conjugating verbs to show the past tense is very easy in English, almost as easy as conjugating the present tense.
Past Tense
editRegular verbs take the ending '-d' or 'ed' in the affirmative. The negative and interrogative are formed using did (past of the auxiliary verb do) together with the infinitive of the verb. The verb work is conjugated as follows:
| Affirmative | ||
|---|---|---|
| I worked | ||
| you worked | ||
| he worked | ||
| she worked | ||
| it worked | ||
| we worked | ||
| you worked | ||
| they worked | ||
| Negative | ||
| I did not work | or | I didn't work |
| you did not work | or | you didn't work |
| he did not work | or | he didn't work |
| she did not work | or | she didn't work |
| it did not work | or | it didn't work |
| we did not work | or | we didn't work |
| you did not work | or | you didn't work |
| they did not work | or | they didn't work |
| Interrogative | ||
| did I work | ||
| did you work | ||
| did he work | ||
| did she work | ||
| did it work | ||
| did we work | ||
| did you work | ||
| did they work | ||
| Negative Interrogative | ||
| did I not work | or | didn't I work |
| did you not work | or | didn't you work |
| did he not work | or | didn't he work |
| did she not work | or | didn't she work |
| did it not work | or | didn't it work |
| did we not work | or | didn't we work |
| did you not work | or | didn't you work |
| did they not work | or | didn't they work |
Irregular verbs change their form in the past tense affirmative in a variety of ways. The past of go, for example, is went, of buy, bought, of keep, kept. As with the regular verbs, the negative and interrogative are formed using did together with the infinitive of the verb. The verb go is conjugated in the past tense as follows:
| Affirmative | ||
|---|---|---|
| I went | ||
| you went | ||
| he went | ||
| she went | ||
| it went | ||
| we went | ||
| you went | ||
| they went | ||
| Negative | ||
| I did not go | or | I didn't go |
| you did not go | or | you didn't go |
| he did not go | or | he didn't go |
| she did not go | or | she didn't go |
| it did not go | or | it didn't go |
| we did not go | or | we didn't go |
| you did not go | or | you didn't go |
| they did not go | or | they didn't go |
| Interrogative | ||
| did I go | ||
| did you go | ||
| did he go | ||
| did she go | ||
| did it go | ||
| did we go | ||
| did you go | ||
| did they go | ||
| Negative Interrogative | ||
| did I not go | or | didn't I go |
| did you not go | or | didn't you go |
| did he not go | or | didn't he go |
| did she not go | or | didn't she go |
| did it not go | or | didn't it go |
| did we not go | or | didn't we go |
| did you not go | or | didn't you go |
| did they not go | or | didn't they go |