1. Review of Past Tense

2. Use of past tense
We use the simple past tense to talk or write about things that finished.
I opened the door.
You moved to Lake county.
They started an English class.
She worked 3rd shift.

3. Use of the past tense and time words
We can use words that describe the time with past tense.
I opened the door at 7:00.
You moved to Lake county after you arrived in the United States.
They started an English class more than a month ago.
She worked 3rd shift before class.

4. Forming the Past Tense in Statements: Regular Verbs
To make past tense for most verbs, add –d or –ed to the base form of the verb. (Base form = form that we find in the dictionary, like most present tense forms.)
Some verbs have spelling changes. (Many grammar books and dictionaries have past tense spelling rules.)
open  opened
move  moved
arrive  arrived
start  started
work worked
study  studied

5. Pronunciation of Past Tense: Regular Verbs
Sometimes –ed or –d sounds like /t/, sometimes like /d/ and sometimes like /Id/
If the base form sound ends with --
t or d, the past tense sounds like /Id/ started
p, k, f, s, sh, ch, the past tense sounds like /t/ worked
other sounds, the past tense sounds like /d/ lived, opened, arrived, played

6. Forming the Past Tense in Statements: Irregular Verbs
Some verbs have a different form for past tense.
They don’t have a past tense of base form+ -d or –ed. We use some of these verbs often. We need to memorize them.
do  did
be  was/were
have  had
go  went
say  said

7. Forming the Past Tense in Negative Statements
To make a verb negative in past tense, AND the verb is NOT be, we use did + not + the base form of the verb.
did not ↔ didn’t
I did not open the door yesterday.
She didn’t work on Saturday.

8. Forming the Past Tense in Negative Statements: Be
To make a be verb negative in past tense, we use was or were + not.
was not ↔ wasn’t
were not ↔ weren’t
I was not at CLC on Friday.
You were not at CLC on Saturday.
She wasn’t at CLC on Sunday, and they weren’t here, either.

9. Forming Questions in Past Tense
To make a question in past tense when the verb is NOT be, we use did + the base form of the verb.
Did you work in the morning last year?
When did Anna come to the United States?
How did they get a visa?

10. Forming Questions in Past Tense: Be
To make a question in past tense when the verb is be, we move was or were in front of the subject.
Were you at CLC last semester?
Where was Mary Beth last week?
Why were they outside?

11. Exception: Forming Questions in Past Tense about the Subject
When our question is about the subject of the sentence, we use who or what and the past tense form of the verb.
Who was born in Honduras?
What computer got a virus?
Who saw the Olympics on TV?

12. Past Tense Did you try it? I tried it. Did you like it? I liked it.
Did you get it?
I got it.