Past Simple

Structure

Affirmative: The past simple of regular verbs is formed by adding -ed to the infinitive of the verb (without to). The verb form is the same for all persons.

Example: to complain – I complained – he complained

Spelling rules for the formation of the past simple (regular verbs):

1. If the verb ends in -e, add -d.

Examples: notice – noticed / decide – decided

2. If the verb ends in -y preceded by a vowel, follow the general rule and add -ed.

Examples: play – played / destroy – destroyed

3. If the verb ends in -y preceded by a consonant, change the -y to -i and add -ed.

Examples: apply – applied / study – studied

4. If the verb is monosyllabic and ends in a vowel + consonant, double the final consonant before adding -ed.

Examples: plan – planned / spot – spotted

5. If the verb has two or more syllables and ends in a stressed vowel + consonant, double the final consonant before adding -ed.

Examples: admit – admitted / deter – deterred

6. If the verb ends in -l, double this consonant before adding -ed.

Examples: travel – travelled

Negative: The negative form is constructed by placing the auxiliary didn’t before the main verb.

Examples: I didn’t enjoy it. (No me lo pasé bien.)

Steve didn’t apply for the job. (Steve no solicitó el trabajo.)

Interrogative: It is constructed by placing the auxiliary did before the subject, followed by the infinitive of the verb without to.

Examples: Did you work in a bar? (¿Trabajabas en un bar?)

Did she spot the mistake? (¿Identificó el error?)

Uses

The Past Simple is used:

• To talk about events or actions in the past.

Examples: I visited Granada in 2004. (Visité Granada en 2004.)

What time did you finish your homework? (¿A qué hora acabaste de hacer los deberes?)

• To talk about things that happened repeatedly in the past.

Example: They studied French for years. (Estudiaron francés durante años.)

• After when.

Examples: She lived in England when she was young. (Cuando era joven vivió en Inglaterra.)

When did you arrive? (¿Cuándo llegaste?)

Past Continuous

Structure

Affirmative: The past continuous is constructed with the past simple of the verb to be followed by the -ing form of the main verb.

Examples: The plane was landing at that moment. (El avión estaba aterrizando en ese momento.)

We were traveling south. (Viajábamos hacia el sur.)

To review the spelling rules for -ing forms, see the Present Continuous.

Negative: The negative form is constructed with the past simple of the verb to be followed by not and the -ing form of the main verb.

Examples: I wasn’t contradicting you. (No te estaba contradiciendo.)

They weren’t paying attention. (No estaban prestando atención.)

Interrogative: It is constructed by placing the past simple of the verb to be at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the subject and the -ing form of the main verb.

Examples: Were you listening to music? (¿Estabas escuchando música?)

Was she helping you? (¿Te estaba ayudando?)

Uses

The past continuous is used:

• To talk about an action that was happening at a specific time in the past.

Example: I was talking to Susan on the phone at 12:00. (A las doce estaba hablando por teléfono con Susana.)

• To refer to an action in the past that was interrupted for some reason.

Example: He was cooking dinner when the doorbell rang. (Estaba preparando la cena cuando llamaron al timbre.)

• Frequently after the adverbs while and as.

Examples: It started to rain while we were walking. (Empezó a llover mientras paseábamos.)

He saw her as he was walking out. (La vio cuando salía.)

Past Perfect Simple

Structure

Affirmative: The past perfect simple is constructed with the past simple of the verb to have followed by the past participle of the main verb.

Examples: I had finished. (Había terminado.)

They had eaten. (Habían comido.)

Negative: The negative form is constructed with the past simple of the verb to have followed by not and the past participle of the main verb.

Examples: I hadn’t forgotten. (No lo había olvidado.)

They hadn’t arrived. (No habían llegado.)

Interrogative: It is constructed by placing the past simple of the verb to have at the beginning of the sentence, followed by the subject and the past participle of the main verb.

Examples: Had you seen her? (¿La habías visto?)

Had they left? (¿Se habían marchado?)

Uses

The past perfect simple is used to talk about:

• Actions or situations in the past prior to others that also took place in the past.

Example: Susan looked in her bag. She’d forgotten her keys. (Susana miró en su bolso. Se le habían olvidado las llaves.)

• Actions that happened prior to a specific moment in the past.

Example: We had eaten a pizza and washed the dishes by 18:00. (Para las seis de la tarde nos habíamos comido una pizza y habíamos lavado los platos.)

Used To

Structure and Uses

The structure used to is generally translated as “soler” (solía, solíamos, etc.), and is used to refer to past habits, activities that were carried out regularly, and situations that occurred repeatedly or for a long period of time:

Examples: Javier used to cycle to school. (Javier solía ir a la escuela en bici.)

We didn’t use to have a video recorder. (Nosotros no teníamos video.)

Where did you use to live? (¿Dónde vivíais?)

Get Used To

Structure and Uses

The structure get used to is translated as “acostumbrarse a”, and is used to refer to things that gradually become habitual over time.

Examples: He’s getting used to wearing glasses. (Se está acostumbrando a llevar gafas.)

We didn’t get used to living in the country. (No nos acostumbrábamos a vivir en el campo.)

Did you get used to working at home? (¿Te acostumbraste a trabajar en casa?)

Be Used To

Structure and Uses

The structure be used to is translated as “estar acostumbrado a”, and is used to describe situations that have become habitual over time.

Examples: He’s used to driving on the left. (Está acostumbrado a conducir por la izquierda.)

We’re not used to drinking so much tea. (No estamos acostumbrados a beber tanto té.)

Are they used to having foreign guests? (¿Están acostumbrados a tener invitados extranjeros?)