Understanding how to form the past tense for regular verbs is a fundamental part of learning English. In this guide, we’ll explore the rules for forming the past simple tense with regular verbs, look at examples, and even practice creating both positive and negative sentences.
What Are Regular Verbs?
Regular verbs are verbs that follow a simple rule when changing from the present to the past tense. For regular verbs, you add ‘ed’ to the end of the base (present) form of the verb.
How It Works:
Present Verb + ed = Past Tense (Past Simple)
Forming the Past Tense with Regular Verbs
Examples:
- Start → Started
- I start (present) becomes I started (past).
- Play → Played
- They play (present) becomes They played (past).
Example Sentences in the Past:
- I danced to music at the disco.
- I finished my homework at 5pm.
- I cleaned the kitchen yesterday.
- I prepared dinner last night.
Each sentence clearly shows an action that happened in the past by using the “ed” ending.
Practice Activity: Positive Sentences
Now, try creating your own sentences. Write 3 sentences in the comments that describe something you did in the past using regular verbs. For example:
- I walked to the park last weekend.
- She studied hard for the exam.
- We visited the museum yesterday.
Feel free to type your sentences in the comments!
Making Regular Verbs Negative in the Past
To form negative sentences with regular verbs in the past, we use the helper verb “did” followed by “not” (often contracted to “didn’t”) and then the base form of the verb (without “ed”).
Structure for Negative Sentences:
Subject + did not (didn’t) + base verb
Examples:
- Nadia did not dance at the party.
(You could also say: Nadia didn’t dance at the party.) - Mo did not prepare the food.
(Or: Mo didn’t prepare the food.) - Ahmed did not clean the floor.
(Or: Ahmed didn’t clean the floor.)
Notice that even though the action is in the past, we use the base form of the verb after “did not” or “didn’t.”
Practice Activity: Negative Sentences
Now, try writing 3 negative sentences using the structure above. For example:
- I did not watch the movie last night.
- She didn’t call her friend yesterday.
- We did not go to the concert last weekend.
Type your negative sentences in the comments!
Recap
- Positive Past Tense:
Add ‘ed’ to the present form of regular verbs.
Example: “play” becomes “played”. - Negative Past Tense:
Use did not (didn’t) + base verb.
Example: “did not play” instead of “played”.
Exercise: Test your understanding of this English lesson
You can test your understanding of the Past Tense with Regular Verbs by answering these 20 questions. You will get the answers and your score at the end of the quiz.
Choose the correct option:
Keep practicing and try to use these forms in your daily conversation and writing!
Happy learning, and don’t forget to share your sentences in the comments!
