The simple past tense:

The simple past tense:

 

What did you do on Saturday and Sunday?

I stayed at home and chilled this weekend.

I went to work.

I went hiking. I went on a hike.

I bought a lot of food.

I went to H mart on Saturday.

I did my homework in ESL 244.

I went on a short ride with my motorcycle.

I played with my daughter.

I participated in Echo Church online service.

I ate some delicious food.

We walked under the redwoods.

 

 

 

1. The form for regular verbs in the simple past:

add –ed (It’s the same for all subjects.)

 

However, there are many irregular verbs.  You need to start memorizing them.  (page 79)

 

2. The negative form of the simple past:

I didn’t go anywhere last weekend.

She didn’t finish her homework.

They didn’t work on Sunday.

 

Did + not + the base form of the verb 

 

What didn’t you do yesterday?

She didn’t do her homework yesterday.

I didn’t stay home. I went to work.

I didn’t eat ice cream.

I didn’t cook yesterday.

 

(Off topic: Time clause- After I finish class tonight (future time clause),

I am going to do a puzzle with my daughter. (main clause)

 

 

The negative form of “be” in the past

I wasn’t at home.

She wasn’t at home.

You weren’t at home.

They weren’t at home. 

 

3. yes/no questions with the simple past:

Did you write WA#2 last night?  Yes, I did.  No, I didn’t.

Did she take a test on Friday?  Yes, she did.  No, she didn’t.

 

Form:

Did + subject + the base form of the verb

 

Write a yes/no question about the past.

Did you finish your homework?

Did you cook yesterday?

Did you receive an email yesterday?

Did you have dinner before class?

 

Did you watch a movie last night?

Did you have a good night’s sleep yesterday? No, I didn’t.

Did Alex drive safely on the highway?

 

Were you able to have a break this weekend? Yes, I was. No, I wasn’t.

Were you at home yesterday? Yes, I was.

Was she at home yesterday? Yes, she was. No, she wasn’t.

4. wh questions in the simple past

Where did he go yesterday? He went to the store. 

What did he eat for dinner last night? He ate pizza for dinner.

Who did you go to Lake Tahoe with last summer? I went with my family.

 

Wh word + did + subject + the base form of the verb

 

Questions about the object or subject? 

 

Who stayed home yesterday? (question about the subject)

A lot of students stayed home.  Lisa stayed home.  Maryna stayed home.

What happened yesterday?

Who cooked dinner last night? My son cooked dinner last night.

Form of question: Wh word + verb

 

 

5.  The use of the simple past tense:

 

Use the simple past to talk/write about activities, states or situations that are finished.

 

Use with words and phrases like:  yesterday, last year, two days ago, on Saturday…

 

 

Finish these sentences about your life:

 

Last year I went to Hawaii with my aunt’s family.

Last year I started taking classes at De Anza college.

Two weeks ago, I stated to take ESL 244.

During my spring break, my parents visited me.

During spring break, I went to work.

During spring break, I tried to cook by myself.

Two weeks ago, I took a test for coronavirus.

I changed my mind about purchasing a new car.

 

 

 

 

Homework for Wednesday:

Pages 72-87:  Do exercises 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 13 and test/review page 89

 

Write the revision of WA#2 by Friday. Turn it in on Canvas.  The assignment for the revision is on Canvas. ***Very important:  Please highlight the changes that you make in the revision in red.

 

 

 

I use my computer every day.

I used my computer yesterday.  (different meaning)

More on the past tense:

 

 

The habitual past:  used to

 

He used to ride his bike to work every day. 

I used to be a vegetarian. 

He didn’t use to be late to class.  However, he got a job and sometimes gets stuck in traffic.

Did you use to get all A’s?

 

1. Form:

subject + used to + the base form of the verb

 

the negative form:

subject + didn’t + use to + the base form of the verb

 

yes/no question:

did + subject + use to + the base form of the verb 

 

2. Use for repeated habits, customs, and situations from the past that are no longer true.

What is a habit?  It is a routine.  You can have a routine in the past or in the present.

 

He used to do his homework as soon as he got home. (habit) We know that he doesn’t do his homework as soon as he gets home now because of “used to”.

 

 

My kids used to give Valentine cards to their whole class on Valentine’s Day.  (custom)

We used to make a gingerbread house on Christmas when I was a little girl. Every Christmas when I was little, my brothers and I made a gingerbread house.

 

Think about a holiday that you celebrate every year.  Think of a sentence with “used to” to show a difference in how you celebrate it now.

 

I used to have a big dinner with my family on Christmas. He lived in Mexico and he was near his family.  Now he lives in the US, so his family isn’t here.

We used to celebrate our Fiesta in the Philippines.

I used to give a Christmas card to my best friends.

I used to wear new clothes on Chinese New Year.

We used to have a big dinner with all of our family on New Year.

I used to take care of my nephews and nieces on New Year.

I used to cook a lot for Tet.

 

 

 

 

We used to live in Oregon.  (situation)

She used to have blond hair. (situation) Now her hair is brown.

He used to be overweight.  Now, he is fit and thin.

 

 

 

***Think of something that you used to do in school in your native country.  Write your answer in chat.

 

For example:  I used to wear a uniform to school.

Ziming used to live at the school while she was in middle school and high school.

I used to be an assistant for some of my professors.

I used to study in the library.

I used to eat lunch in the cafeteria in high school.

I used to have classes from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.

I used to sleep only three hours a night.