GRAMMAR

PAST SIMPLE 

Affirmative:                                                     

I / you finished                                                                  

he/ she/ it  finished                                                      

we/ you /they finished        
                                        

Negative:   

I / you did not (didn't) finish
he/ she/ it   did not (didn't) finish
we/ you /they  did not (didn't) finish

Interrogative:

Did I /You  finish ?

Did he/ she/ it  finish?
Did we/ you/ they  finish?

Uses: 

•  A completed action in the past
•  A series of completed actions in the past 
• terminations:  -e : prove - proved  
•  vocal + y :  stay - stadyed  
• consonant  + y:  carry - carried
•  vocal + consonant  doubles the consonant except  w and x : stop  - stopped , but fix - fixed 
• -l or -p doubles the consonant: cancel - cancelled 
•  vocal + consonant doubles the last :  prefer - preferred 
•  indicate that a short-acting, introduced by when, occurred when a longer one was going
• the irregular verbs no keep this processes.

Adverbs of frequency / Time expressions 

yesteday, last week / year, two days ago, in 2001, in the 1980s, in the 18th centrury, when, then

Examples 

Jane was returning home when her car broke down.
In the nineteenth century, London was a dangerous city. 
She left two hours ago.
I visited Brussels last year.
We opened the door and the guests entered the room