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Past simple

The past simple is used to describe a finished action in the past. We often use it in stories.

Grammatically speaking, we form the past simple of regular verbs by adding an "ed" to the infinitive of the verb (without "to"). i.e.

Past simple = infinitive + ed

(e.g. to open = opened)

-ed spelling rules:

* Verbs ending with "consonant + y" are formed in the past by "ied". E.g. to cry = cried

* Verbs ending with "vowel + y" keep in the past the "ed". E.g. to play = played

* Verbs ending with "e" are formed in the past by "d". E.g. to love = loved

* A number of verbs ending with "stressed vowel + consonant" are formed in the past by "doubling the consonant + ed". E.g. to stop = stopped

Students however, usually find difficulties with irregular verbs.

Therefore, we suggest a good method to facilitate learning them. In other words, irregular verbs can be gathered in three main groups:

1- Verbs keeping the same form in the past (having the same form of past participle)

E.g. to bet = bet (P.P bet)

to cost = cost (P.P cost)

to put = put (P.P put)

2- Verbs ending with "t", "d" or "ght" (having the same form of past participle)

E.g. to lose = lost (P.P lost)

to buy = bought (P.P bought)

to sell = sold (P.P sold)

3- Verbs which partially or completely change their forms (having a different form of past participle)

E.g. to ride = rode (P.P ridden)

to hide = hid (P.P hidden)

to go = went (P.P gone)

Exercise: this is a passage from my short story "A Man in Between".

Put the verbs between brackets in the past simple.

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1. Under a big tree somewhere near Tagus River, Rodrigo (to be) lying down, all wet and messy.

2. The poor man (to catch) a cold, and trembled due to cold weather.

3. Later in the evening, a faint light (to appear) to Rodrigo.

4. The weak man (to try) to make a sign.

5. All that he (can) do was moaning, but enough to draw the attention of the wanderer.

6. The latter (to spot) the light on Rodrigo's face,

7. and (to take) his bat of baseball to hit his head!!

8. The following day, Rodrigo (to wake up) finding himself chained against the wall of a very old and stingy room.

9. “Where am I? What's happening? Hey!!”, Rodrigo (to shout) crazily.

10. A moment later, someone (to open) the door aggressively, it was the veiled man pulling Annabelle with a rope into the room.

11. When Annabelle (to see) Rodrigo in his bad situation,

12. she (to burst) into tears again

13. and (to start) screaming, while the veiled man was trying to stop her.

14. The strange man took out a knife aiming to get rid of Rodrigo for keeps. Unexpectedly, he (to kneel down) before him.

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