To make negative sentences in the past simple, use didn’t with every subject, followed by the base form of the verb, as in I didn’t go to school yesterday. This rule is the same for regular and irregular verbs.
Grammar Rule
To make negatives in the past we use didn’t with all subjects, followed by the base form of the verb — the same for regular and irregular verbs.
Past Simple Negative: Structure
| Subject | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I | didn’t + base verb | I didn’t go to school yesterday. |
| She | didn’t + base verb | She didn’t eat breakfast. |
| They | didn’t + base verb | They didn’t play football. |
| We | didn’t + base verb | We didn’t watch the movie. |
Remember: after didn’t the verb is always in the base form, never in the past.
Practice Test
Instructions
Answer each question in the test below using didn’t to form the negative. You will get a new random set of questions every time you retake the test, plus a downloadable results summary with your name and score at the end.
Past Simple – Negative (didn't + base form)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do you form the past simple negative?
Use didn’t with every subject, followed by the base form of the verb, as in I didn’t go to school yesterday.
Is didn’t followed by the past form of the verb?
No. After didn’t the verb is always in the base form, never in the past, as in she didn’t eat, not she didn’t ate.
Does the negative rule change for irregular verbs?
No. The rule is the same for regular and irregular verbs, always didn’t plus the base verb.
Does didn’t change with the subject?
No. Didn’t is the same for every subject, I, you, he, she, we, and they.