PAST SIMPLE WITH REGULAR VERBS

Verbs | Ending | Affirmative (+) | Negative (-)
Most verbs (for example, play, listen, want) | Add -ed. | We played the violin. You listened to me. | We didn’t play the violin. You didn’t listen to me.
Verb ends in -e (for example, arrive, like) | Add -d. | He arrived last night. We liked the book. | He didn’t arrive last night. We didn’t like the book.
Verb ends in consonant + -y (for example, cry, try, fry) | Change -y to -i and add -ed. | We cried after the film. I tried my best. | We didn’t cry after the film I didn’t try my best.
Verb ends in consonant +vowel +consonant (for example, plan, stop) | Double the final consonant and add -ed. | I planned our trip to Spain. It stopped working. | I didn’t plan our tip to Spain. It didn’t stop working.

PAST SIMPLE REGULAR AND IRREGULAR VERBS: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Yes/No Questions (?) | Short Answers
Did I / you / he / she / it / we / they arrive? | Yes, I / you / he /she / it / we / they did. / No, I / you / he / she / it / we / they didn’t.

COULD

Could for Ability in the Past
Affirmative (+) | Negative (-) | Yes/No Questions (?) | Short Answers
I / He / She / You / We / They / It could ride a bike at that age. I / He / She / You / We / They / It could kick a ball when you were two. | I / He / She / You / We / They / It couldn’t drive a car then. I / He / She / You / We / They / It couldn’t speak English. | Could I / he / she / you / we / they / it walk at that age? Could I / he / she / you / we / they / it ski? | Yes, I / he / she / you / we / they / it could. / No, I / he / she / you / we / they / it couldn’t.