Master English Grammar

Past Simple – Affirmative, Negative, and Question Forms

Learn how to form affirmative, negative, and question sentences in the past simple tense.

What Are Affirmative, Negative, and Question Forms?

The past simple tense is used to talk about completed actions in the past. It can be used in affirmative (positive), negative, and question forms.

Why Is This Important?

Understanding how to correctly form past simple sentences in all structures allows you to communicate clearly about past events.

Key Points

Affirmative: Subject + past simple verb
- I played football.
- She went to the store.
Negative: Subject + did not + base verb
- I did not play football.
- She did not go to the store.
Questions: Did + subject + base verb?
- Did you play football?
- Did she go to the store?

Rules for Using Affirmative, Negative, and Question Forms in Past Simple
Use the past simple verb for affirmative sentences.
I visited my grandmother yesterday.
They played soccer last weekend.
She wrote a book last year.
Use 'did not' (didn’t) + base verb for negative sentences.
I did not visit my grandmother.
They did not play soccer.
She did not write a book.
Use 'Did' + subject + base verb? for questions.
Did you visit your grandmother?
Did they play soccer?
Did she write a book?
Special Cases & Exceptions:
In negative and question forms, the base verb is used without the past tense ending.
Do not use the past tense form of the verb after 'did' in negatives or questions.
Incorrect: Did you went to school?
Correct: Did you go to school?
Incorrect: She did not went home.
Correct: She did not go home.

Example	Tense	Use
I played football.	Affirmative	Completed action in the past
I did not play football.	Negative	Denial of a past action
Did you play football?	Question	Asking about a past action

Quick Examples

Here are quick examples of affirmative, negative, and question forms in past simple.

Learn More with Video Lessons

Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with the creators of these videos. These are publicly available resources used to provide additional information on the topic.