EduCareer

Writing About the Past

By /
A2 (Elementary)Writing

Writing About the Past

The simple past tense is how we write about finished actions and events — things that happened and are now complete. It is essential for telling stories, describing your day, and writing about your experiences. This lesson covers regular and irregular verbs and how to build past sentences.

The simple past tense is how we write about finished actions and events — things that happened and are now complete. It is essential for telling stories, describing your day, and writing about your experiences. This lesson covers regular and irregular verbs and how to build past sentences.

1. Regular verbs: add -ed

Most verbs form the past by adding -ed. The same form is used for every subject — no extra -s.

Present Past
work worked
play played
study studied (consonant + y → ied)
stop stopped (double the consonant)

2. Irregular verbs: you must learn them

Many common verbs do not add -ed. Their past forms must be memorised.

Present Past
go went
have had
see saw
eat ate
write wrote
be was / were

3. Was and were

Subject be (past)
I / he / she / it was
you / we / they were

4. Negatives and questions: didn’t / did

For negatives and questions, use did + the plain verb (no -ed).

  • I didn’t go to school. (not didn’t went)
  • Did you see the film? (not did you saw)
Past time wordsSignals of the past: yesterday, last night, last week, two days ago, in 2010, when I was young. These tell your reader the action is finished.
Tutor tip for Arabic speakersTwo habits fix most past-tense errors. (1) After didn’t and did, always use the plain verb: “I didn’t go,” never “didn’t went.” The word did already shows the past. (2) Do not add -ed to irregular verbs — “goed” and “eated” are not words; learn went and ate. Keep a small list of irregular verbs and review it often.

Examples from EduCareer

  • Yesterday Aisha studied for three hours and wrote an essay.
  • Omar went to Dubai last week and saw his family.
  • Yusuf didn’t come to class because he was sick.
Common mistakes

I goed home.  →  I went home.

She didn’t went.  →  She didn’t go.

Did you saw it?  →  Did you see it?

They was late.  →  They were late.

Check your understanding

Answer the questions below. You will see instantly if you are right.

1.How do most regular verbs form the past?
Regular verbs add -ed.
2.Past of "work":
work \u2192 worked.
3.Past of "study":
consonant + y \u2192 studied.
4.Past of "stop":
Double the consonant: stopped.
5.Past of "go":
Irregular: go \u2192 went.
6.Past of "see":
Irregular: see \u2192 saw.
7.Past of "eat":
Irregular: eat \u2192 ate.
8."I ___ tired yesterday."
I \u2192 was.
9."They ___ late."
they \u2192 were.
10.Make it negative: "I went home."
didn\u2019t + plain verb: didn\u2019t go.
11.Which question is correct?
did + plain verb: did you see.
12.Which is a past time word?
"yesterday" signals the past.
13.Past of "write":
Irregular: write \u2192 wrote.
14.Fix: "She didn\u2019t went."
After didn\u2019t, use the plain verb: go.
15."Omar ___ to Dubai last week."
Past of go = went.
16.Past of "have":
Irregular: have \u2192 had.
17.Which sentence is correct?
was (he) + didn\u2019t come (plain verb).
18.Do regular past verbs change with he/she/it?
The -ed form is the same for every subject.
19.Fix: "They was happy."
they \u2192 were.
20.Which sentence is fully correct?
studied (regular) + wrote (irregular).

Want feedback from a real tutor on your reading, writing and speaking?

Book a Free Consultation

Continue practising

A2 (Elementary)The Lost PhoneStart lesson →A2 (Elementary)Reading a Product ReviewStart lesson →A2 (Elementary)The Present Perfect TenseStart lesson →A2 (Elementary)Make or Do?Start lesson →
PreviousSubject-Verb AgreementNext lessonWriting About the Future: Will & Going To
Scroll to Top