The Simple Past Tense

The Simple Past tense is used to express a completed action in a definite time before now (either a recent completed action or a distant completed one). For this reason, speakers always attach a specific past time expression or phrases in the simple past tense.

1. She needed a lot of help last week.
2. I ate a lot candy when I was young.
3. The electricity was off the whole night last night.
4. Four years ago, we didn't have specific plans for our business.

The past tense verb forms differ from the present verb forms.

1. I go to school by bus. (present simple)
   Yesterday, I went to school by bus. (past simple)
2. He does his homework after dinner. (present simple)
   He did his homework after dinner last night. (past simple)
3. They need some help. (present simple)
   They needed some help a few days ago. (past simple)

Forms of the Simple Past 

Positive Form

Unlike the present simple tense, the past simple verb is used with all subjects without any changes.

Negative Form

The auxiliary verb "did" + "not" is used with the base form of the main verb in order to form the simple past tense form.

Question Form

In the question form, the auxiliary verb "did" is placed before the subject pronoun together the base form of the main verb to form questions.

Answering to the questions:

• Yes, [subject] did.
• No, [subject] didn't. (not "did not")