• Forms With most verbs the past tense is formed by adding -ed:  call >> called; like >> liked; want >> wanted; work >> worked

    Forms With most verbs the past tense is formed by adding -ed: call >> called; like >> liked; want >> wanted; work >> worked

  • But there are a lot of irregular past tenses in English. Here are the most common irregular verbs in English, with their past tenses:

    But there are a lot of irregular past tenses in English. Here are the most common irregular verbs in English, with their past tenses:

  • Irregular Verbs

    Irregular Verbs

  • Regular Verbs

    Regular Verbs

  • Use We use the past tense to talk about:

    Use We use the past tense to talk about:

    something that happened once in the past:
    I met my wife in 1983.
  • something that happened again and again in the past:

    something that happened again and again in the past:

    When I was a boy I walked a mile to school every day.
    We swam a lot while we were on holiday.
    They always enjoyed visiting their friends.
  • something that was true for some time in the past:

    something that was true for some time in the past:

    I lived abroad for ten years.
    He enjoyed being a student.
    She played a lot of tennis when she was younger.
  • we often use phrases with ago with the past tense:

    we often use phrases with ago with the past tense:

    I met my wife a long time ago.
  • Questions and negatives

    Questions and negatives

    We use did to make questions with the past tense: When did you meet your wife?
    Where did you go for your holidays?
    Did she play tennis when she was younger?
    Did you live abroad?
  • We use didn’t (did not) to make negatives with the past tense:

    We use didn’t (did not) to make negatives with the past tense:

    They didn’t go to Spain this year.
    We didn’t get home until very late last night.
    I didn’t see you yesterday.