Transcript Simple Past

Simple Past
Grammar Reference
Preparatore: Dott.ssa Barbara
Meloni
Simple Past
Introduction
The Simple Past tense is one of the most
common tenses in English. Its form is the
same with all subjects. It is usually formed
by adding -ED to the verb (regular verbs).It
corresponds to the Italian tenses Passato
remoto, Imperfetto and Passato prossimo.
Simple Past
USE
a) Completed Action in the Past.
We use the Simple Past to express the
idea that an action started and finished at
a specific time in the past:
I worked yesterday.
Simple Past
b) A Series of Completed Actions.
We use the Simple Past to list a series of
completed actions in the past. These
actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so
on.
I finished work, walked to the beach, and
talked with the children.
Simple Past
How is the simple past tense formed:
With most verbs, the simple past is
created simply by adding -ED.
Examples: Play- Played
Talk-Talked
Simple Past
Negative & Interrogative form:
They are formed with the auxiliary verb did
(Simple Past of the verb do).
With did the verb is in its base form,
because the “idea” of past is already
included in the auxiliary.
Did you work yesterday?
I didn’t play tennis yesterday.
Simple Past
Changes:
There are some exceptions to the general rule:
a.
If the verb ends in e, the Past tense is formed adding d: livelived.
b.
If the verb ends in consonant +y, we change y to i and add ed:
try- tried.
c. If the verb ends in one vowel + one consonant (but NOT w or y),
we double the consonant, then add –ed: stop- stopped.
d. All other cases including w: add ed.
Examples: boil- boiled, show- showed.
Simple Past
Pronunciation Rules:
-Ed is pronounced:
Id with verbs ending in d or t:
Wanted, needed.
T with verbs ending in p, s, k or f:
Stopped, washed, worked.
D in all the other cases: closed,
rained, studied.
Simple Past
This tense often goes together with
adverbs or time expressions like:
Yesterday / three days ago/ last night/
summer/ week/ month / year…..
A minute/ a moment / an hour ago…
In 1984/ In May
When I was 13……. / A long time ago /
When I was a child……..