Question and Negative Sentences in Simple Past
- For questions in Simple Past, follow the structure: Did + subject + base form of the verb?
- Use 'Did' for all subjects (you, he, she, it, we, they).
- For negative sentences in Simple Past, follow the structure: subject + did not (didn’t) + base form of the verb.
- Again, 'Did not' is the same for all subjects.
When we communicate, we often need to ask questions or make negative statements as part of our conversation. In this blog, we’ll focus on how to form and use questions and negative sentences in the Simple Past tense.
Questions in Simple Past
To make questions in simple past, we usually use the following structure:
"Was" / "Were" + subject + subject complement (noun, adjective, etc)?
Example: Was he nice at the meeting?
"Did" + subject + verb in base form?
Example: Did you buy the book?
Question word + "was" / "were" + subject?
Example: What was the name of your dog?
Question word + "did" + subject + verb in base form?
Example: Where did she go last night?
Examples:
-
Was the ticket expensive?
"Was" + subject + subject complement (adjective)
-
Did your mom go to university?
"Did" + subject ("your mom") + verb in base form ("go") + other words
-
What did she eat?
Question word ("What") + "did" + subject ("she") + verb in base form ("eat")
-
When was Tom's birthday?
Question word ("When") + "was" + subject ("Tom's birthday")
Negative Sentences in Simple Past
To make negative sentences in simple past, we usually use the following structure:
Subject + "was" / "were" + "not" + subject complement (adjective, noun, etc)
Example: My dog was not hungry.
Subject + "did" + "not" + verb in base form (+ other words)
Example: My wife didn't use her computer.
Examples:
-
They didn't wash the dishes properly.
Subject ("They") + "didn't" + verb in base form ("wash") + object ("the dishes")
-
He wasn't in school.
Subject ("He") + "wasn't" + preposition ("in") + object ("school")
Practice this topic with the AI English Tutor
AI English Tutor will teach you the grammar and practice it with you in a conversation format. Plus, 100+ practice questions on this topic to cement your understanding.
Try ALULA for free on your phone or tablet
Do you have any questions about this lesson? Ask in the comment section, below.