Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense tells us about things that already happened. When something is done and over, we use the past tense.

What You'll Learn

• How to add -ed to a verb to talk about the past
• How to know when to use the past tense

When to Use

1. Something already happened: "I walked to school."
2. Telling what you did: "She played with her toys."
3. Something is finished: "We washed our hands."

How to Form

To talk about the past, add -ed to the end of the verb.

Key Rules

1. Add -ed to show the past: When something already happened, add -ed to the verb. "I walk" becomes "I walked".
2. The action is over: We use the past tense when the action is finished. "She helped Dad cook dinner." The helping is done.
3. Look for time words: Words like "yesterday" tell you the action is in the past. "I played in the garden yesterday."

Common Mistakes

Clue Words

These words tell you the action already happened. When you see them, add -ed to the verb.

yesterday, last night, just now

Tip: When you see "yesterday" or "last night", it is a clue! Add -ed to the verb.

Practice Tips

1. Find the time word: Read the sentence. Look for "yesterday", "last night", or "just now". If you see one, you need to add -ed.
2. Say it out loud: Try saying the verb with -ed. "walked", "played", "jumped". If it sounds right, you got it!

Quick Reference