Past Simple

1️⃣ Completed actions in the past

Use the Past Simple for actions that started and finished in the past.

• I visited a cave yesterday.

• I did a via ferrata.

• I had a nap in the afternoon.

2️⃣ Specific finished time

Use it when the action is connected to a specific finished moment or period.

• I went to Athens two years ago.

• I stayed in the mountains last winter.

• I went canyoning yesterday.

Common time expressions:

yesterday · last week · last year · two years ago · in 2025

3️⃣ A sequence of past events

Use it to tell a story or describe several completed actions in chronological order.

• I arrived at my flat.

• I unpacked my suitcase.

• I went shopping.

• Then I had something to eat.

💡 This is the tense you will use a lot when answering questions such as “What did you do yesterday?”

Regular verbs

Add -ed:

• work → worked

• visit → visited

• watch → watched

• stay → stayed

Irregular verbs

The form changes and must be learnt:

• go → went

• do → did

• take → took

• have → had

• leave → left

• come → came

• eat → ate

• think → thought

💡 The past participle can be different again:

go → went → gone
do → did → done
take → took → taken

➡️ See also: Irregular Verbs

Negative

subject + did not (didn't) + base verb

• I didn't go hiking.

• I didn't visit the zoo.

• She didn't stay at home.

⚠️ After didn't, always use the base form.

❌ I didn't thought
✅ I didn't think

❌ I didn't went
✅ I didn't go

Questions

Did + subject + base verb?

• Did you enjoy the canyoning?

• Did you go alone?

• Did she stay at home?

Short answers

• Yes, I did.

• No, I didn't.

Past Simple → specific completed event

I went to London last year.

Present Perfect → experience / connection with now

I have been to London three times.

⚠️ Compare:

❌ Last year, I have been to the mountains.
✅ Last year, I went to the mountains.

➡️ For the full explanation, see: Present Perfect