The Past Simple form (the second form: go → went) describes finished actions at a specific past time, usually with markers like yesterday, last week, in 2010, ago. Regular verbs add -ed (worked, stopped, studied); the core everyday verbs are irregular and must be memorised. In questions and negatives the auxiliary did takes over the past and the main verb returns to its base form: Did you go? I didn’t go.
When to use it
Finished action + past time marker We went to Rome last summer. — We went to Rome last summer.
A chain of past events She came home, made dinner and called her mom. — She came home, made dinner and called her mom.
NOT after did Did you see him? I did not see him. — After did/didn’t the verb goes back to its base form.
Endings · Conjugation
+ -ed
-ed
worked
-e → -d
-d
lived
consonant + y → -ied
-ied
studied
doubling
-ped
stopped
Irregular verbs
go
went
be
was / were
take
took
Don't just read this, drill it
Verboteca drills every verb form with spaced repetition until it becomes automatic.
