English · A2 · grammar · 4 minutes
Past simple: finished time
Use a past form for a completed event in a finished time period.
Understand the choice
Past simple presents a bounded event before now, often with yesterday, last week, in 2024, or a completed sequence.
Core rule: Regular verbs add -ed; irregular verbs have learned forms. Questions/negatives use did + base verb.
Notice it in context
We visited the museum yesterday.
Visitamos el museo ayer.
Visited is regular -ed; yesterday is a finished-time marker.
She bought a ticket and went to the station.
She completed the ticket purchase and journey to the station.
Bought/went are irregular past events in sequence.
Did they finish the report last night?
Was the report complete by the end of last night?
Did carries past; finish stays base.
What to remember
- Regular -ed has three pronunciations: /t/, /d/, /ɪd/.
- Past time can be understood from narrative even without an explicit adverb.
Common trap: Do not combine did with a past main form.