Lesson 30
Introduction
This tutorial is focusing on the simple past of regular verbs and the spelling changes that happen.
Dialogue
1/Sentence Practice
Let’s go and eat we can continue this discussion at the dinner table. I am sure that we are all starving.
Sorry, Jeanne, I hope you don’t mind being corrected. Not one little bit. The problem is that people let you make mistakes.
They never correct you. They think it is impolite to do so. In a class with other students, you just learn rules.
The teacher has not the time to correct each mistake. The student thinks he has learned the lesson but he makes mistakes.
It is refreshing to be with people who care enough.It is also very good to talk to people who can explain properly.
Thank you. In many language schools, the teachers are not qualified to teach correctly.
They learned English intuitively. Then they try and explain English with a grammar book.
English is a mix of different grammar systems: Latin, German, French, Celtic pre-roman English and many more.
My English lessons in my French school were with a French teacher of English
I learned grammar but native people who listened to me did not understand me.
This was because of the fact that I pronounced very badly.
I find that the past tense in English is easy for regular verbs. You just have to add ed.
Vocabulary
2/Vocabulary Practice
- the past
- regular
- to continue the discussion
- at the dinner table
- to be corrected
- Not one little bit
- to let you make mistakes
- They never correct you.
- They think it is impolite to do so.
- to just learn rules
- to not have the time
- to correct each mistake
- to be refreshing
- to be with
- to care enough
- to explain properly
- to be qualified
- to teach correctly
- to learn intuitively
- to try to explain
- a mix
- grammar systems
- Latin
- German
- French
- Celtic
- pre-roman
- many more.
- a French teacher of English
- native people
- to pronounce badly
- to find
Grammar
Regular verbs in the simple past or past simple.
How to form the simple past
Positive form:
S + bare infinitive + -ed + O.
He learnED English.
He workED there for five years.
Yesterday we stayED with our uncle and aunt.
Last year he playED football every week.
The other day I startED to feel ill.
In August I passED my driving test.
We crossED the road carefully.
We wantED to travel to the UK.
He askED me for advice.
Negative form:
S + did not / didn’t + bare infinitive (infinitive without “to”) + O.
She did not know that. / She didn’t know that.
Be careful: do not say “I did not learnED” (WRONG!!)
> “I did not learn” is the correct form
Question form:
Didn’t + S + bare infinitive + O ?
Did + S + not + bare infinitive + O ?
Didn’t they arrive on time?
Did they not arrive on time?
Be careful:
Do not say “Did they not arrivED?” (WRONG!!)
> “Did they not arrivE?” is the correct form
This tense is used for:
1/ completed actions – when it is over:
He lived there when he was 10.
2/ when I focus on the duration of an action:
He learned English for 2 years.
3/ when an action has happened once, never or several times in the past:
He went to school every day.
4/ for a series of actions in the past:
I opened the book, I read, I learned something new.
5/ for facts or generalisations in the past:
They used to live in tents.
Some spelling changes sometimes occur!
1/ If a verb ends in -e, you add -d not -ed:
I liked
He agreed
We escaped
we decided
we arrived
2/ If a verb ends in a vowel and a consonant, the consonant is usually doubled before the -ED:
he stopped
we planned
3/ If a verb ends in consonant + -y, you remove the -y and add -ied:
to try > he tried
to cry > we cried
to carry > they carried
4/ If a verb ends in a vowel and -y, you add -ed:
we played
they enjoyed
Signal words / adverbs of time that go with this tense:
1/ LAST
Last week
last Friday
last year
2/ IN
in September
in 2000
in the 19th century
3/ WHEN
when I was 5
when I was a child
when I had a cat
4/ Other
yesterday
the other day
Questions and Answers
Questions and Answers
Did he live in Ireland?
Yes, he lived there when he was 10.
How long did you learn English for?
I learned English for two years.
How often did you go to school for?
I went to school every day for five years.
Did you read the book?
Yes, I opened the book I read and I learned something new.
Did you read about red Indians?
Yes they used to live in tents.
Can we continue the discussion at the dinner table?
Yes, I am sure we are all starving.
Do you mind being corrected?
No, not at all, it helps me a lot actually.
Did your teacher correct you at school?
No, he did not have the time.
Was your English teacher Spanish?
Yes, how did you know?
Do I pronounce so badly?
No, but you cannot make certain sounds.