Simple Past of the Verb Be

Affirmative form
I was
You were
He was
She was
It was
We were
You were
They were



Negative form
short forms:

I wasn’t
You weren’t
He wasn’t
She wasn’t
It wasn’t
We weren’t
You weren’t
They weren’t

long forms:

I was not
You were not
He was not
She was not
It was not
We were not
You were not
They were not


Interrogative form

Was I ?
Were you ?
Was he ?
Was she ?
Was it ?
Were we ?
Were you ?
Were they ?



Yes/ no questions

Were you absent yesterday ?
Yes, I was.

Was Rachid at home last Monday ?
No, he wasn’t.

Were they in Marrakesh two days ago ?
No, they weren’t



Simple past of regular verbs



The simple past of regular verbs is usually formed by adding -ED to the verb

However, with some verbs, you need to add -ED or change the ending a little


Here are the rules


Verbs ending in e = we add d

examples : live = lived

date = dated

type = typed



Verbs ending in consonant + y = we change y to i, then we add ed


examples : try = tried

cry = cried
spy = spied


Verbs ending in one vowel + one consonant ( but NOT w or y ) = we double the consonant, then we add ed


. examples: commit = committed

tap = tapped

fit = fitted


For the rest of regular verbs we just add ed


examples : play = played

work = worked

look = looked