1. The Simple Past: Regular and Irregular Verbs8
The Simple Past: Regular and Irregular Verbs
The Life of Wangari Maathai
Focus on Grammar 1
Part VII, Units 21 & 22
By Ruth Luman, Gabriele Steiner, and BJ Wells
Copyright © Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

2. The Life of Wangari Maathai:
planted 30 million trees in Kenya :
went to school in the U.S.
Now
Past
2004:
won the Nobel Peace Prize
1971:
got a Ph.D. from the University of Nairobi
1940:
was born in Kenya

3. Got a Ph.D. from the University of Nairobi
The Simple Past
Use the simple past to talk about an event that happened in the past.
Now
1971:
Got a Ph.D. from the University of Nairobi

4. Regular Verbs She moved back to Kenya. She planted trees.
Regular verbs in the simple past end in -ed. If the base form ends in -e, add only –d. If the base form ends in -y after a consonant, change the y to i and add -ed.
She moved back to Kenya.
She planted trees.
UBEAUJO 2/13/2006
Change to: Regular (bold) verbs (bold) in the simple past end in -ed (bold, italics). If the base form ends -e (bold, italics), add only -d (bold italics). If the base form ends in -y (bold, italics) after a consonant, change the y (bold italics) to i (bold, italics) and add -ed (bold, italics).
She studied biology.

5. Use the same verb form for all persons.
Verb Forms
Use the same verb form for all persons. I
you he
she it we
they
studied
worked
lived

6. Negative 1
Use did not + the base form of the verb for negative statements in the simple past.
Base Form
Verb
He did not have a lot of money.
She didn’t go to school in England.
Base Form
Verb

7. Time Expressions
Time expressions come at the beginning or at the end of a sentence.
Last week, she traveled to Norway.
Her parents visited the capital city a year ago.
This morning, we listened to the news about her award.

8. Last weekend, I watched TV. I didn’t study English.
Tell a partner about the things you did or didn’t do at the times listed. Use the words in the box.
Practice 1
last weekend
two days ago
this morning
last night
last year
Last weekend, I watched TV I didn’t study English.
cook watch visit listen
study work clean travel
play exercise fix stay

9. Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs have different forms in the simple past.
win
Wangari won many awards for her work.
teach
She taught at several universities.

10. Negative 2
Be careful! Don’t use did or didn’t with the past tense form of the verb.
Irregular Verbs
Regular Verbs
She didn’t planted trees in the U.S.
She didn’t went to England in 1966.
UBEAUJO 2/6/2006
ADD A SLIDE:
Header: Negative
Grammar rule bar: Be careful! Don't sue did (italics) or didn't (italics) with the past tense for of the verb.
Body:
Regular Verbs:
She didn't plant trees in the U.S. [animate and highlight (planted) and (didn't plant)]
[art: picture of an African woman plantin trees. (United States) appears, is crossed out with an "X", and (Kenya) appears appears.
She planted trees in Kenya
Irregular:
She didn't go to England in 1966.
[animate and higllight (went) and (didn't go)]
[art: African woman heading to the airport gate (luggage), the wrong date appears above, is crossed out with an "X", and is followed by the correct date appearing]
She went back to Kenya in 1966.
She didn’t plant trees in the U.S.
She didn’t go to England in 1966.
She planted trees in Kenya.
She went back to Kenya in 1966.

11. Practice 2 be born  was born grow up begin college  grew up
Work with a partner. Describe your life to your partner. Use the simple past and these verbs.
Practice 2
be born
grow up
begin college
fall in love
go to school
leave home
come to this city
choose a major
 was born
 grew up
 began college
 fell in love
 went to school
 left home
 came to this city
 chose a major

12. Yes / No Questions Did she finish college? her parents Did help her?
To make a yes / no question in the simple past, use did + the subject + the base form of the verb.
Did
Subject
Base Form Verb
Other Words
Did
she
finish
college?
her parents
Did
help
her?

13. Short Answers
You can use did or didn’t in the short answer in the simple past tense.
Did Wangari return to Kenya?
Yes, she did.
Did she plant trees in the U.S.?
No, she didn’t.

14. Did you pass the exam last week?
Work with a partner. Practice asking and answering questions about the past. Use did and time expressions.
Practice 3
Example: pass the exam / last week
Yes, I did. OR
No, I didn’t
Did you pass the exam last week?
1) watch TV / last night ) do your homework / yesterday
2) eat breakfast / this morning ) go shopping / last month

15. References
Copyright © 2006 Pearson Education and its licensors. All rights reserved.
Photo Credit:
The Green Belt Movement