What Past Simple Negatives and Questions Are
In the last two lessons, a past sentence needed only a changed verb: worked, went. Negatives and questions work differently. They add did, and the main verb goes back to its base form.
AFFIRMATIVEpast form
The past is carried by bought.
Lan bought a ticket for the concert.
A normal past sentence: no did.
NEGATIVEdidn't + V
The past moves to didn't, and buy goes back to its base form.
Nam didn't buy a ticket, so he stayed home.
Nam did not get a ticket.
QUESTIONDid + S + V?
Did comes first, and buy stays in its base form.
Did your friends buy tickets too?
The answer is yes or no.
Did is the past of do and does. It is an auxiliary, a helper verb with no meaning of its own. It helps make negatives, questions and short answers.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"I my homework last night."
- Question 2
" you see the game on Sunday?"
The four forms
NEGATIVE
Sdidn'tV…
We didn't have time for lunch.
Didn't (did not) for every subject.
QUESTION
DidSV…?
Did your team win?
Did comes before the subject.
QUESTION WORD
Wh-didSV…?
What did he say?
What, where, when, how… come before did.
SHORT ANSWER
Yes,Sdid·No,Sdidn't
Did they call? — No, they didn't.
Repeat did, never the main verb.
AFTER DID, BACK TO BASE
- wentgo
- boughtbuy
- ateeat
- watchedwatch
- studiedstudy
didn't / Did + base form · regular or irregular, it works the same way
With no did, the verb shows the past: went. With did, did shows the past: didn't go, Did … go?
TRY IT
- Question 1
"My parents the news on TV yesterday evening."
- Question 2
"Where you park the car this morning?"
- Question 3
"Did she call you?" — "No, she ."
When to use them
Saying something did not happen
I didn't sleep well last night.
I slept badly.
Signal words: didn't · last night · yesterday
Checking whether something happened
Did you lock the door?
You want to hear yes or no.
Signal words: Did … ? · Yes, I did · No, I didn't
Asking for details
When did the film start?
You want a time, a place or a reason.
Signal words: What did · Where did · When did · How did
Asking after a trip or a day off
Did you have a good holiday?
A friendly question when someone comes back.
Signal words: Did you have a good…? · How did it go?
Did vs. was / were
A sentence with an ordinary verb makes negatives and questions with did. A sentence with be and an adjective, a noun or a place uses was / were, as in the Was and Were lesson.
| WAS / WERE | DID | |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | She was at home. | She stayed at home. |
| Negative | She wasn't at home. | She didn't stay at home. |
| Question | Were you tired? | Did you rest? |
| Short answer | Yes, I was. | Yes, I did. |
TRY IT
- Question 1
" you hungry after class?"
- Question 2
" he enjoy the party?"
Common mistakes
Incorrect:Did you went to the market?
Correct:Did you go to the market?
Did already carries the past, so the main verb goes back to its base form. Showing the past twice is the most common mistake here.
Incorrect:I didn't ate breakfast today.
Correct:I didn't eat breakfast today.
The verb after didn't is always the base form, irregular verbs included.
Incorrect:Where you went last weekend?
Correct:Where did you go last weekend?
A question with a question word still needs did before the subject; without it, the sentence keeps statement order.
Incorrect:She not called me yesterday.
Correct:She didn't call me yesterday.
Not cannot make a past negative on its own; it needs did: didn't + the base verb.
Incorrect:Do you see Minh yesterday?
Correct:Did you see Minh yesterday?
Yesterday is in the past, so the auxiliary is did. Do and does are for the present.
Incorrect:Did you tired after the trip?
Correct:Were you tired after the trip?
Tired is an adjective, not an ordinary verb, so the question takes was or were.
Quick check · 7 questions
Choose the correct form:
Sorry, I didn't see your message.
- A. didn't see — Correct
- B. didn't saw
- C. not saw
Answer: A. didn't see
Didn't already carries the past, so the main verb goes back to see. "Not saw" is missing did altogether.
Choose the word that starts the question:
Did your brother pass his driving test?
- A. Did — Correct
- B. Was
- C. Do
Answer: A. Did
Pass is an ordinary verb, so a past question starts with Did. Was does not go with an ordinary verb. Do is present, and your brother needs does in the present.
Choose the correct verb form:
Did the children like the cake?
- A. like — Correct
- B. liked
- C. likes
Answer: A. like
Did already carries the past, so like takes no -ed.
Choose the correct word:
What time did the football match finish?
- A. did — Correct
- B. was
Answer: A. did
Finish is an ordinary verb, so What time needs did before the subject and the base verb.
Choose the correct question:
Who did you meet at the café?
- A. Who did you meet at the café? — Correct
- B. Who you did meet at the café?
- C. Who you met at the café?
Answer: A. Who did you meet at the café?
The question word comes first. Then comes did, and then the subject.
Choose the correct short answer:
Did you enjoy the concert? — Yes, I did.
- A. did — Correct
- B. enjoyed
- C. was
Answer: A. did
A short answer repeats the auxiliary from the question, not the main verb.
Choose the word that starts the question:
Were they late for the bus?
- A. Were — Correct
- B. Did
Answer: A. Were
There is no ordinary verb here, only the adjective late. Sentences like this make their questions with was or were, never did.
See whether it really stuck.
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