Past Simple: Regular Verbs
- Use past simple regular verbs to talk about finished actions in the past.
- TR: Geçmişte bitmiş eylemleri düzenli fiillerle anlatmak.
- Success check: say three things you did yesterday using regular verbs.
Start the 8-question quizAdapts to your answers · every miss links back to the rule
Rule in 60 secondsThe one pattern to memorise.
- Add -ed to the base verb for all persons: I worked, she worked, they worked.
- Use finished-time words: yesterday, last night, two days ago, in 2019.
- Negative: did not (didn't) + base verb. Question: Did + subject + base verb?
- TR: Olumlu cümlede fiile -ed gelir, kişi fark etmez. Olumsuzda didn't + yalın fiil, soruda Did + özne + yalın fiil.
- Same form: I, you, he, she, we, they all take V-ed.
- Helper did: negatives and questions always use did + base verb.
- Quick test: see yesterday or last night → use V-ed.
FormsHow it looks in sentences.
| Type | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | S + V-ed | I watched a film. |
| Negative | S + did not + V | I did not watch a film. |
| Question | Did + S + V? | Did you watch a film? |
| Short answer | Yes, S + did / No, S + didn't | Yes, I did. / No, I didn't. |
- Most verbs: + -ed → play → played, clean → cleaned.
- Verb ends in -e: + -d → live → lived, dance → danced.
- Consonant + y: y → i + -ed → study → studied, carry → carried. (Vowel + y keeps y: play → played.)
- Short verb, single vowel + single consonant: double the consonant → stop → stopped, plan → planned.
- Pronunciation of -ed: /t/ (helped), /d/ (played), /ɪd/ (wanted, started).
- TR: -e ile biten fiile sadece -d; ünsüz + y → -ied; kısa fiillerde ünsüz ikizlenir. -ed üç farklı sesle okunur.
- Short answers: Yes, I did. / No, I didn't. — never repeat the verb.
- Word order: time words go at the end — I worked late last night.
3 classic trapsWhere Turkish speakers slip.
- Double past marking: ❌ *I didn't watched.* → ✅ *I didn't watch.* (TR: didn't varsa fiil yalın kalır, -ed düşer.)
- did in affirmative: ❌ *I did watched.* → ✅ *I watched.* / *I did watch.* (TR: Olumlu cümlede did vurgu içindir, fiil yine yalındır.)
- Present tense for finished past: ❌ *Yesterday I watch a film.* → ✅ *Yesterday I watched a film.* (TR: yesterday/last/ago varsa fiil geçmiş olmalı.)
10 example sentencesRead aloud, twice.
- I cleaned my room yesterday. — Dün odamı temizledim.
- She worked late last night. — Dün gece geç saate kadar çalıştı.
- We watched a comedy last weekend. — Geçen hafta sonu bir komedi izledik.
- They played football two days ago. — İki gün önce futbol oynadılar.
- He studied English in 2020. — 2020'de İngilizce çalıştı.
- I didn't like the food. — Yemeği beğenmedim.
- She didn't call me back. — Beni geri aramadı.
- Did you enjoy the party? — Partiden keyif aldın mı?
- Did they arrive on time? — Zamanında vardılar mı?
- We stopped at a small café and tasted local food. — Küçük bir kafede durduk ve yöresel yemek tattık.
Quick checkCover the answers, say yours first.
- Q1: Fill in: I ___ (watch) a great series last night.
- Q2: Correct the error: *She didn't played tennis.*
- Q3: Make a question: you / visit / your grandparents / last Sunday?
- Q4: True or false: "I have watched a film yesterday." is correct past simple.
- Q5: Pronounce: played, wanted, helped — which ends in /ɪd/?
- Q6: Write the past of: dance, carry, plan.
<summary>Answers</summary> - A1: watched - A2: She didn't play tennis. - A3: Did you visit your grandparents last Sunday? - A4: False — "yesterday" needs past simple: "I watched a film yesterday." - A5: wanted - A6: danced, carried, planned.