Simple Present Tense and Past Tense

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Simple Present Tense

English Grammar Rules

The simple present tense in English is used to describe an action that is regular, true or normal.

We use the present tense:

1. For repeated or regular actions in the present time period.

• I take the train to the office.

• The train to Berlin leaves every hour.

• John sleeps eight hours every night during the wee.

2. For facts.

• The !resident of The "#$ lives in The White %ouse.

• $ dog has four legs.

• We come from #wit&erland.

3. For haits.

• I get up early every day.

• 'arol rushes her teeth twice a day.

• They travel to their country house every weeend.

!. For things that are al"a#s $ generall# true.

• It rains a lot in winter.

• The (ueen of England lives in Bucingham !alace.

• They speak English at wor.



%er &on'ugation ( Spelling

We form the present tense using the base form of the infinitive )without the T*+.

In general, in the third person we add S in the third person.

Su'ect %er The Rest of the sentence

I - you - we - they spea - learn English at home

he - she - it spea s - learns English at home

The spelling for the verb in the third person differs depending on the ending of that verb:

. /or verbs that end in )*+ )&,+ )S,+ )SS+ )-+ or ) we add )ES in the third person.

• go 0 goes

• catch 0 catches

• wash 0 washes

• iss 0 isses

• fi1 0 fi1es

• bu&& 0 bu&&es

2. /or verbs that end in a consonant / 0, we remove the 0 and add )ES.

• marry 0 marries

• study 0 studies

• carry 0 carries

• worry 0 worries

3*TE: /or verbs that end in a vo"el / 0, we 4ust add )S.

• play 0 plays

• en4oy 0 en4oys



• say 0 says

egative Sentences in the Simple Present Tense

To mae a negative sentence in English we normally use 5ont or 5oesnt with all verbs

E6'E!T To e and 4odal vers )can, might, should etc.+.

• $ffirmative: 7ou spea /rench.

3egative: 7ou don5t spea /rench.

7ou will see that we add don5t between the sub4ect and the verb. We use 6on5t when the sub4ectis , #ou, "e or the#.

• $ffirmative: %e speas 8erman.

3egative: %e doesn5t spea 8erman.

When the sub4ect is he, she or it, we add doesn5t between the sub4ect and the verb to mae a

negative sentence. 3otice that the letter S at the end of the verb in the affirmative sentence)because it is in third person+ disappears in the negative sentence. We will see the reason why

below.

egative &ontractions

6on5t 9 6o not

6oesn5t 9 6oes not

I don5t lie meat 9 I do not lie meat.

There is no difference in meaning though we normally use contractions in spoen English.

7ord *rder of egative Sentences

The following is the word order to construct a basic negative sentence in English in the !resentTense using 6on5t or 6oesn5t.

Su'ect don5t$doesn5t %er8 The Rest of the sentence

I - you - we - they dont have - buy

eat - lie etc.cereal for breafast

he - she - it doesnt

http://www.grammar.cl/Present/Dont_Doesnt.htm




;erb: The verb that goes here is the base form of the infinitive 9 The infinitive without T*

before the verb. Instead of the infinitive To have it is 4ust the have part.

<emember that the infinitive is the verb before it is con4ugated )changed+ and it begins with T*./or e1ample: to have, to eat, to go, to live, to spea etc.

E9amples of egative Sentences "ith 6on5t and 6oesn5t:

• 7ou don5t spea $rabic.

• John doesn5t spea Italian.

• We don5t have time for a rest.

• It doesn5t move.

• They don5t want to go to the party.

• #he doesn5t lie fish.

;uestions in the Simple Present Tense

To mae a =uestion in English we normally use 5o or 5oes. It has no translation in #panish

though it is essential to show we are maing a =uestion. It is normally put at the beginning of the=uestion.

• $ffirmative: 7ou spea English.

(uestion: 6o you spea English>

7ou will see that we add 6* at the beginning of the affirmative sentence to mae it a =uestion.

We use 6o when the sub4ect is , #ou, "e or the#.

• $ffirmative: %e speas /rench.

(uestion: 6oes he spea /rench>

When the sub4ect is he, she or it, we add 6*ES at the beginning to mae the affirmative

sentence a =uestion. 3otice that the letter S at the end of the verb in the affirmative sentence

)because it is in third person+ disappears in the =uestion. We will see the reason why below.

We 6*5T use 6o or 6oes in =uestions that have the verb To e or 4odal %ers )can, must,might, should etc.+

http://www.grammar.cl/Present/Do_Does.htm




7ord *rder of ;uestions "ith 6o and 6oes

The following is the word order to construct a basic =uestion in English using 6o or 6oes.

6o$6oes Su'ect %er8 The Rest of the sentence

5o I - you - we - they have - need

want etc.a new bie>

5oes he - she - it

;erb: The verb that goes here is the base form of the infinitive 9 The infinitive without T* before the verb. Instead of the infinitive To have it is 4ust the have part.

<emember that the infinitive is the verb before it is con4ugated )changed+ and it begins with T*.

/or e1ample: to have, to eat, to go, to live, to spea etc.

E9amples of ;uestions "ith 6o and 6oes:

• 6o you need a dictionary>

• 6oes ?ary need a dictionary>

• 6o we have a meeting now>

• 6oes it rain a lot in winter>

•6o they want to go to the party>

• 6oes he lie pi&&a>

Short <ns"ers "ith 6o and 6oes

In =uestions that use do-does it is possible to give short answers to direct =uestions as follows:

Sample ;uestions

Short <ns"er

=<ffirmative>

Short <ns"er

=egative>5o you lie chocolate> 7es, I do. 3o, I dont.

5o I need a pencil> 7es, you do. 3o, you dont.

5o you both lie chocolate> 7es, we do. 3o, we dont.

5o they lie chocolate> 7es, they do. 3o, they dont.

5oes he lie chocolate> 7es, he does. 3o, he doesnt.

5oes she lie chocolate> 7es, she does. 3o, she doesnt.



5oes it have four wheels> 7es, it does. 3o, it doesnt.

%owever, if a =uestion word such as "ho, "hen, "here, "h#, "hich or ho" is used in the

=uestion, you can not

Simple Past Tense

English Grammar

The Simple Past Tense, often 4ust called the Past Tense, is easy to use in English.

If you already now how to use the Present Tense, then the Past Tense will be easy.

In general, the Past Tense is used to tal about something that started and finished at a definite

time in the past.

,o" to form the Past Tense in English

The main rule is that for every verb in English, there is only one form of it in the past tense.

)The e1ception is the !ast tense of To Be, which has two forms: was and were+

This is totally different from other languages such as #panish, /rench, Italian etc. where youchange the verb ending for every sub4ect.

/or e1ample: The past tense of the verb want is wanted .

Wanted is used as the past tense for all sub4ects-pronouns.

• I wanted

• 7ou wanted

• %e wanted

• #he wanted

• It wanted

• We wanted

http://www.grammar.cl/Present/Simple.htm

http://www.grammar.cl/Past/To_Be.htm

http://www.grammar.cl/Present/Simple.htm




• They wanted

#o you 4ust have to learn one word to be able to use it in the past tense. In this case we 4ust

needed to learn the one word wanted which can be used for all sub4ects )or people+.

Past Tense Regular %ers

To change a regular verb into its past tense form, we normally add 0E5 to the end of the verb.

• play 0 played

• coo 0 cooed

• rain 0 rained

• wait 0 waited

There are some e1ceptions with a slight change in spelling which you can see here:

#pelling of words ending in E5.

E9amples of sentences using regular vers in the past tense

• @ast night I pla#ed my guitar loudly and the neighbors complained.

• #he kissed me on the chee.

• It rained yesterday.

• $ngela "atched T; all night.

• John "anted to go to the museum.

3ote: There are three different ways of pronouncing the 0ed at the end of a verb in the past tense.

We recommend reading our guide about the pronunciation of 0E5 at the end of words.

egative sentences in the Past Tense

We use didn5t =did not> to mae a negative sentence in the past tense.

This is for regular $35 irregular verbs in English.)E1ception is To Be and ?odal ;erbs such as Can+

'ompare the following:

http://www.grammar.cl/english/spelling-ed-ending.htm

http://www.grammar.cl/english/pronunciation-ed.htm

http://www.grammar.cl/english/spelling-ed-ending.htm

http://www.grammar.cl/english/pronunciation-ed.htm



!resent: They don5t live in 'anada.

!ast: They didn5t live in 'anada.

The main verb )live in the e1ample above+ is in its base form )of the infinitive+. The au1iliary DIDN'T shows that the sentence is negative $35 in the past tense.

3*TI'E: The only difference between a negative sentence in the present tense and a negative

sentence in the past tense is the change in the au1iliary verb.

Both don5t and doesn5t in the present tense become didn5t in the past tense.

'ompare the negative sentences in the e1amples below:

!resent: 7ou don5t need a mechanic.!ast: 7ou didn5t need a mechanic.

!resent: 7ou don5t wal to wor.!ast: 7ou didn5t wal to wor.

!resent: %e doesn5t spea Japanese.!ast: %e didn5t spea Japanese.

E9amples of negative sentences in the Past Tense

• I didn5t want to go to the dentist.

• #he didn5t have time.

• 7ou didn5t close the door.

• %e didn5t come to my party.

• They didn5t study so they didn5t pass the test.

• We didn5t sleep well last night.

;uestions in the Past Tense

We use did to mae a =uestion in the past tense.This is for regular $35 irregular verbs in English.

)E1ception is To Be and ?odal ;erbs such as Can+








'ompare the following:

!resent: 6o they live in /rance>

!ast: 6id they live in /rance>

The main verb )live

in the e1ample above+ is in its base form )of the infinitive+. The au1iliary DID shows that the =uestion is in the past tense.

3*TI'E: The only difference between a =uestion in the present tense and a =uestion in the past

tense is the change in the au1iliary verb.

Both 6o and 6oes in present tense =uestions become 6idn5t in past tense =uestions.

'ompare the =uestions in the e1amples below:

!resent: 6o you need a doctor>

!ast: 6id you need a doctor>

!resent: 6o you ride your bie to wor>

!ast: 6id you ride your bie to wor>

!resent: 6oes he live in Italy>

!ast: 6id he live in Italy>

We can also use a =uestion word )Who, What, Why etc.+ before 5I5 to as for more

information.

• 5id you study> 0 7es, I did.

• 7hen did you study> 0 I studied last night.

• 7here did you study> 0 I studied at the library.

<ead more about short answers in the past tense.

E9amples of ;uestions in the Past Tense

• 6id you go to wor yesterday>

• 6id they arrive on time>

• 6id she lie the surprise>

• Where did she go>

• What did you do yesterday>




http://www.grammar.cl/Notes/Question_Words.htm

http://www.grammar.cl/Past/Short_Answers.htm



http://www.grammar.cl/Notes/Question_Words.htm

http://www.grammar.cl/Past/Short_Answers.htm



• What did you say> A I didnt say anything.

• Why did we have to come>

rregular %ers in the Past Tense

Irregular verbs are *3@7 irregular in affirmative-positive sentences.)$n e1ception to this is with the verb T* BE in the !ast Tense+.

/or e1ample: The past tense of 8* is WE3T.

It does not end in 0E5 so it is considered irregular.

The word went is used for all sub4ects 0 I, you, we, they, he, she, it.

• I "ent to the beach

• %e "ent to the par.

• #he "ent to the &oo.

• They "ent to the library.

B"T, as we mentioned before, it is only in its irregular form )went + in sentences that areaffirmative-positive.

'ompare the following using 8* in the past tense.

• They "ent to the beach

• They didnt go to the beach AAA Didn't shows that we are taling in the past tense.

• 5id they go to the beach> AAA Did shows that we are taling in the past tense.

$nother e1ample with an irregular verb.

The past of E$T is $TE.

• 7ou ate my cae.

• 7ou didnt eat my cae.

• 5id you eat my cae>

Present vs Past Tense Summar# &hart





Past Tense rregular %ers ?ist

English Grammar Rules

Part *ne

The following is a list of Irregular ;erbs in English:

%er Past Simple Past Participle

arise arose arisen babysit babysat babysat

be was - were been

beat beat beaten

become became become

bend bent bent

begin began begun

bet bet bet



bind bound bound

bite bit bitten

bleed bled bled

blow blew blown

brea broe broen

breed bred bred

bring brought brought

broadcast broadcast broadcast

build built built

buy bought bought

catch caught caught

choose chose chosen

come came come

cost cost cost

cut cut cut

deal dealt dealt

dig dug dug

do did done

draw drew drawn

drin dran drun

drive drove driven

eat ate eaten

fall fell fallen

feed fed fed

feel felt felt

fight fought fought

find found found

fly flew flown

forbid forbade forbidden

forget forgot forgotten

forgive forgave forgiven

free&e fro&e fro&en

get got gotten

give gave given

go went gone

grow grew grown

hang hung hung

have had had

hear heard heard

hide hid hidden

hit hit hit

hold held held



hurt hurt hurt

eep ept ept

now new nown

lay laid laid

lead led led

leave left left

lend lent lent

let let let

lie lay lain

light lit lit

lose lost lost

mae made made

mean meant meant

meet met met

pay paid paid

put put put

=uit =uit =uit

read read read

ride rode ridden

ring rang rung

rise rose risen

run ran run

say said said

see saw seen

sell sold sold

send sent sent

set set set

shae shoo shaen

shine shone shone

shoot shot shot

show showed shown

shut shut shut

sing sang sung

sin san sun

sit sat sat

sleep slept slept

slide slid slid

spea spoe spoen

spend spent spent

spin spun spun

spread spread spread

stand stood stood



steal stole stolen

stic stuc stuc

sting stung stung

strie struc struc

swear swore sworn

sweep swept swept

swim swam swum

swing swung swung

tae too taen

teach taught taught

tear tore torn

tell told told

thin thought thought

throw threw thrown

understand understood understood

wae woe woen

wear wore worn

win won won

withdraw withdrew withdrawn

write wrote written

8 ,<G A %ang has two different meanings. The first is to attach )or hang+ something in a high

position )e.g. on the wall or on a hoo+. In this case we use the above verbs %angA%ungA%ung.

B"T when %ang means to ill someone by putting a rope around someones nec and leaving

them in a high position without any support, we use different verbs: %angA%angedAhanged. Thisverb is typical of public e1ecutions in the past. )e.g. They hanged him in the main s=uare.+

88 ?E A @ie has two meanings. When it means to put your body in a hori&ontal position

)normally on a bed+ it uses the @ieA@ayA@ain verbs.

B"T it is regular @ieA@iedA@ied when it has the other meaning of not to say the truth.

888 RE<6 A Even though they are written the same, the pronunciation is different in the !astTense and !ast !articiple form.

Part T"o

The following verbs can be regular or irregular:


burn burned *< burnt burned *< burnt



dream dreamed *< dreamt dreamed *< dreamt

learn learned *< learnt learned *< learnt

smell smelled *< smelt smelled *< smelt

The second form )burnt, dreamt etc.+ is more common in British English.

Part Three

;erbs that have the same form in !resent, !ast and !ast !articiple form:


bet bet bet

broadcast broadcast broadcast

cut cut cut

hit hit hit

hurt hurt hurt

let let let

put put put

=uit =uit =uit

read read read

set set set

shut shut shut

spread spread spread

$ll of the verbs above are written and pronounced the same in the three forms E6'E!T for

Read which is written the same but pronounced differently.



Simple Past

f t g+ p

FORM

C;E<BDed or irregular verbs

E1amples:

• You called Debbie.

• Did you call Debbie?

• You did not call Debbie.

Complete List of Simple Past Forms

USE Complete! "#tio$ i$ t%e Past

"se the #imple !ast to e1press the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the

past. #ometimes, the speaer may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one

specific time in mind.

E1amples:

• & saw a mo'ie yester!ay.

• & didn't see a play yester!ay.

• Last year( & traveled to )apa$.

• Last year( & didn't travel to *orea.

• Did you have !i$$er last $ig%t?

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• S%e washed %er #ar.

• e didn't wash %is #ar.

USE , " Series of Complete! "#tio$s

We use the #imple !ast to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen st,

2nd, Frd, Gth, and so on.

E1amples:

• & fnished -or( walked to t%e bea#%( a$! ound a $i#e pla#e to s-im.

• e arrived from t%e airport at /011( checked i$to t%e %otel at 2011( a$! mett%e ot%ers at 1011.

• Did you add 3our( pour i$ t%e mil( a$! t%e$ add t%e eggs?

USE 4 Duratio$ i$ Past

The #imple !ast can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. $ duration is alonger action often indicated by e1pressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all

year, etc.

E1amples:

• & lived i$ 5ra6il for t-o years.

• S%au$a studied )apa$ese for 7'e years.

• 8%ey sat at t%e bea#% all !ay.

• 8%ey did not stay at t%e party t%e e$tire time.

• 9e talked o$ t%e p%o$e for t%irty mi$utes.

• "0 o- lo$g did you wait for t%em?50 9e waited for o$e %our.



USE : abits i$ t%e Past

The #imple !ast can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the

same meaning as used to. To mae it clear that we are taling about a habit, we often add

e1pressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.

E1amples:

• & studied Fre$#% -%e$ & -as a #%il!.

• e played t%e 'ioli$.

•

e didn't play t%e pia$o.

• Did you play a musi#al i$strume$t -%e$ you -ere a i!?

• S%e worked at t%e mo'ie t%eater after s#%ool.

• 8%ey $e'er went to s#%ool( t%ey al-ays skipped #lass.

USE ; Past Fa#ts or <e$erali6atio$s

The #imple !ast can also be used to describe past facts or generali&ations which are no longer

true. $s in "#E G above, this use of the #imple !ast is =uite similar to the e1pression used to.

E1amples:

• S%e was s%y as a #%il!( but $o- s%e is 'ery outgoi$g.

• e didn't like tomatoes before.

• Did you live i$ 8e=as -%e$ you were a i!?

• People paid mu#% more to mae #ell p%o$e #alls i$ t%e past.

&MPOR8">8 9%e$Clauses appe$ First

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/usedto.html







'lauses are groups of words which have meaning but are often not complete sentences. #ome

clauses begin with the word when such as when I dropped my pen... or when class began...

These clauses are called whenAclauses, and they are very important. The e1amples below contain

whenAclauses.

E1amples:

• When I paid her one dollar( s%e a$s-ere! my @uestio$.

• S%e a$s-ere! my @uestio$ when I paid her one dollar.

WhenAclauses are important because they always happen first when both clauses are in the

#imple !ast. Both of the e1amples above mean the same thing: first, I paid her one dollar, and

then, she answered my =uestion. It is not important whether when I paid her one dollar is at the

beginning of the sentence or at the end of the sentence. %owever, the e1ample below has a

different meaning. /irst, she answered my =uestion, and then, I paid her one dollar.

E1ample:

• & pai! %er o$e !ollar when she answered my question.

"DAER5 PL"CEME>8

The e1amples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever,

still, 4ust, etc.

E1amples:

• You just #alle! Debbie.

• Di! you just #all Debbie?

"C8&AE B P"SS&AE

E1amples:

• 8om repaired t%e #ar. Active

• 8%e #ar was repaired by 8om. Passive



FORM

C;E<B D s-es in third person

E1amples:

• You speak E$glis%.

• Do you speak E$glis%?

• You do not speak E$glis%.

'omplete @ist of #imple !resent /orms

USE Repeate! "#tio$s

"se the #imple !resent to e1press the idea that an action is repeated or usual. The action can be a

habit, a hobby, a daily event, a scheduled event or something that often happens. It can also be

something a person often forgets or usually does not do.

E1amples:

• & play te$$is.

• S%e does not play te$$is.

• Does %e play te$$is?

• 8%e trai$ leaves e'ery mor$i$g at / "M.

• 8%e trai$ does not leave at 2 "M.

• 9%e$ does t%e trai$ usually leave?

•

S%e al-ays orgets %er purse.

• e $e'er orgets %is -allet.

• E'ery t-el'e mo$t%s( t%e Eart% circles t%e Su$.

• Does t%e Su$ circle t%e Eart%?

http://www.englishpage.com/verbpage/simplepresentforms.html

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USE , Fa#ts or <e$erali6atio$s

The #imple !resent can also indicate the speaer believes that a fact was true before, is true now,

and will be true in the future. It is not important if the speaer is correct about the fact. It is also

used to mae generali&ations about people or things.

E1amples:

• Cats like mil.

• 5ir!s do not like mil.

•

Do pigs like mil?

• Califor$ia is i$ "meri#a.

• Califor$ia is not i$ t%e U$ite! *i$g!om.

• 9i$!o-s are ma!e of glass.

• 9i$!o-s are not ma!e of -oo!.

• >e- Yor is a small #ity. It is not important that this fact is untrue.

USE 4 S#%e!ule! E'e$ts i$ t%e >ear Future

#peaers occasionally use #imple !resent to tal about scheduled events in the near future. This

is most commonly done when taling about public transportation, but it can be used with other

scheduled events as well.

E1amples:

• 8%e trai$ leaves to$ig%t at PM.

• 8%e bus does not arrive at "M( it arrives at PM.

• 9%e$ do -e board t%e pla$e?



• 8%e party starts at / o#lo#.

• 9%e$ does #lass begin tomorro-?

USE : >o- >o$Co$ti$uous Aerbs

#peaers sometimes use the #imple !resent to e1press the idea that an action is happening or is

not happening now. This can only be done with 3onA'ontinuous ;erbs and certain ?i1ed ;erbs.

E1amples:

• & am %ere $o-.

• S%e is not %ere $o-.

• e needs %elp rig%t $o-.

• e does not need %elp $o-.

• e has %is passport i$ %is %a$!.

• Do you have your passport -it% you?

"DAER5 PL"CEME>8

The e1amples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as: always, only, never, ever,

still, 4ust, etc.

E1amples:

• You only spea E$glis%.

• Do you only spea E$glis%?

"C8&AE B P"SS&AE

E1amples:

• O$#e a -ee( 8om cleans t%e #ar. Active

• O$#e a -ee( t%e #ar is cleaned by 8om. Passive

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Simple Present Tense and Past Tense

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