What tense is didn't?
Didn't (did not) is the negative of the past simple. The pattern is subject + didn't + base verb: I didn't go to school yesterday. Every subject takes didn't, and the verb after it has no -ed.
The pattern
| Positive | Negative |
|---|---|
| I went to school. | I didn't go to school. |
| She watched TV. | She didn't watch TV. |
- Didn't is short for did not. In the past, every subject takes didn't.
- Didn't already carries the past, so the main verb goes back to its base form: went → go, watched → watch.
Examples
- I didn't sleep well last night.
- He didn't answer my message.
- We didn't have enough time.
What about was and were?
Was and were don't use didn't. Add not directly:
- I wasn't at home.
- They weren't ready.
Ordinary verbs (go, eat, call…) borrow didn't; was/were become wasn't/weren't.
Common mistakes
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| She didn't | She didn't go out. | Base verb after didn't. |
| I | I wasn't tired. | Was takes not. |
| He | He didn't call me yesterday. | Yesterday is past. |
Try it
Choose the correct form:
Tom didn't go to work last Monday.
- A. didn't go — Correct
- B. didn't went
- C. doesn't go
Answer: A. didn't go
Last Monday is in the past, so use didn't, and the verb after it goes back to go.
Choose the correct form:
We weren't at the meeting yesterday.
- A. didn't
- B. weren't — Correct
- C. didn't be
Answer: B. weren't
Were makes its own negative with not. It never takes didn't.
Choose the correct form:
She didn't like the soup, so she left it.
- A. didn't liked
- B. didn't like — Correct
- C. don't liked
Answer: B. didn't like
Didn't already shows the past, so like stays in its base form.