Past Simple

Concept

The past simple describes an action that started and finished at a known time in the past. It is also used for a sequence of completed events, past habits, and past states.

الماضي البسيط يصف حدثاً بدأ وانتهى في وقت محدد في الماضي، ويُستخدم أيضاً لسرد الأحداث المتتابعة.

Form

Affirmative

Subject + V2 (regular: verb + ed)

Negative

Subject + did not + base verb

Question

Did + subject + base verb ?

After did / didn't, the main verb returns to its base form.

Third-person spelling rules

• Most verbs → + ed

  work → worked

• Verbs ending in -e → + d

  arrive → arrived

• Consonant + y → -ied

  study → studied

• Short vowel + consonant → double it

  stop → stopped

Main uses

• Finished action at a stated past time

  حدث منتهٍ في وقت محدد

  • • I took the STEP test last June.
  • • She graduated in 2020.

• A sequence of completed events

  أحداث متتابعة

  • • He opened the booklet, read the question and answered it.

• Past habits and repeated actions

  عادات ماضية

  • • We played football every Friday when we were children.

• Past states

  حالات ماضية

  • • The passage was difficult.
  • • They had a small library.

Signal words

Common STEP traps

• ❌ He didn't went home.

  ✅ He didn't go home.

  After didn't the verb is in its base form.

• ❌ Did you saw the results?

  ✅ Did you see the results?

  Did already carries the past.

• ❌ I have finished it yesterday.

  ✅ I finished it yesterday.

  Yesterday is finished time → past simple.

• ❌ She studyed hard.

  ✅ She studied hard.

  Consonant + y becomes -ied.

Model sentences

• I registered for the test last week.

  سجّلت للاختبار الأسبوع الماضي.

• Did you review the vocabulary list?

  هل راجعت قائمة المفردات؟