How Do You Make Past Simple Negatives and Questions?
A normal past sentence changes the verb: worked, went. Negatives and questions add did, and the verb stays as the base verb.
AFFIRMATIVEpast form
Lan bought a ticket for the concert.
A normal past sentence: no did.
NEGATIVEdidn't + V
Nam didn't buy a ticket, so he stayed home.
Nam did not get a ticket.
QUESTIONDid + S + V?
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 blank my homework last night."
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.
Answer with did, not the main verb.
When who or what is the person or thing doing the action, there is no did: Who called you? (not Who did call you?)
AFTER DID, BACK TO BASE
- wentgo
- boughtbuy
- ateeat
- watchedwatch
didn't / Did + base verb, for regular and irregular verbs
With no did, the verb shows the past: went. With did, did shows the past: didn't go, Did … go?
TRY IT
- Question 1
"Where blank you park the car this morning?"
When to use them
Asking for details
When did the film start?
You want a time, a place or a reason.
Asking after a trip or a day off
Did you have a good holiday? How did it go?
A friendly question when someone comes back.
Did or Was / Were?
An action verb uses did. Be with an adjective, a noun or a place uses was / were.
| WAS / WERE | DID | |
|---|---|---|
| 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
"blank you hungry after class?"
- Question 2
"blank he enjoy the party?"
Common mistakes
Incorrect:Did you went to the market?
Correct:Did you go to the market?
Did is already past. So: did go, not did went.
Incorrect:I didn't ate breakfast today.
Correct:I didn't eat breakfast today.
After didn't, always the base verb. Irregular verbs too.
Incorrect:Where you went last weekend?
Correct:Where did you go last weekend?
Questions need did: Where did you go?
Incorrect:She not called me yesterday.
Correct:She didn't call me yesterday.
Not needs did: didn't call.
Incorrect:Do you see Minh yesterday?
Correct:Did you see Minh yesterday?
Yesterday is past. Do and does are for now.
Incorrect:Did you tired after the trip?
Correct:Were you tired after the trip?
Tired is an adjective. Use was or were.
Quick check · 5 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
After didn't, use see, not saw. "Not saw" has no did.
Choose the word that starts the question:
Did your brother pass his driving test?
- A. Did — Correct
- B. Was
- C. Do
Answer: A. Did
Was does not go with a verb like pass.
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 goes first. Did comes before the subject.
Choose the correct question:
Who called you last night? — My cousin Nam.
- A. Who called — Correct
- B. Who did call
- C. Who did called
Answer: A. Who called
When who does the action, there is no did. Just use the past form.
Choose the correct short answer:
Did you enjoy the concert? — Yes, I did.
- A. did — Correct
- B. enjoyed
- C. was
Answer: A. did
Answer with the first word of the question: Did you…? — Yes, I did.
See whether it really stuck.
Start the quiz · 12 questionsFrom the blog
- What tense is didn't?
Didn't is the past simple negative: subject + didn't + base verb. Why it's "didn't go", not "didn't went", and why was and were don't take didn't.
