Positive form — Irregular verbs

Some verbs are irregular (not regular). The Past Simple is not -ed.

Here are some important irregular verbs

begin –> break bring build buy catch come do drink eat

began broke brought built bought caught came did drank ate

fall –> find fly forget get give go have hear know

fell found flew forgot got gave went had heard knew

leave –> lose make meet pay put read ring say see

left lost made met paid put read (/red/) rang said saw

sell –> sit sleep speak stand take tell think win write

sold sat slept spoke stood took told thought won wrote

- I usually get up early but this morning I got up at 9.30.

- We did a lot of housework yesterday.

- Caroline went to the cinema three times last week.

- Mr Todd came into the room, took off his coat and sat down.

Exercise 3. Complete the sentences putting the verbs in the Past Simple Tense. Use each verb only once.

sell spend buy fly drive run cost drink understand

Example: Mr and Mrs Brown drove from London to Manches­ter last weekend.

1. We needed money badly so we__our car.

2. Ann__a lot of money yesterday. She__a dress which__$70.

3. Dan__the marathon in two hours.

4. They__champagne to celebrate their wedding an­niversary.

5. As teenagers, we__each other very well.

6. They__to Spain the day before yesterday.

Negative form and questions

■ We use did in past simple negatives and questions:

infinitive	positive		negative			question
watch clean play do go have begin	I we you they he she it	watched cleaned played did went had began	I we you they he she it	did not (didn’t)	watch clean play do go have begin	did	I we you they he she it	watch? clean? play? do? go? have? begin?

■ do/does (present) -> did (past):

- I don't watch television very often.

- I didn't watch television yesterday.

- Does she often go out?

- Did she go out last night?

■ We use did/didn't + infinitive (watch/clean/do etc.):

I watched but I didn't watch (not 'I didn't watched¹)

he went but did he go? (not 'did he went?¹)

- I played tennis yesterday but I didn't win.

- Don didn't have breakfast this morning, (not 'Don hadn't breakfast')

- They went to the cinema but they didn't enjoy the film.

- We didn't do much work yesterday.

Exercise 4. Make the following positive sentences negative.

Example: She spoke to me at the party. — She didn't speak to me at the party.

He had to find a new job. — He didn't have to find a new job.

1. I bought some new clothes last week.

2. The train arrived on time.

3. You made a bad mistake.

4. They had to leave for the airport at 5 a.m.

5. She had a headache yesterday

■ Note the word order in questions with did:

did + subject + infinitive

What How Where

Did did did did

Sue you the accident your parents

give do happen? go

you a birthday present? yesterday evening? for their holidays?

■ short answers

Yes, {I/we/you/they/he/she/it} did.

No, {I/we/you/they/he/she/it} didn’t.

- 'Did you see Joe yesterday?' 'No, I didn't.'

- 'Did it rain on Sunday?' 'Yes, it did.'

- 'Did Helen come to the party?' 'No, she didn't.'

- 'Did your friends have a good holiday?' 'Yes, they did.'.