Past Simple questions & negative - F3, 4 Feb '25

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vmbo k, mavo
• Leerjaar 2

Questions

Look at the 2 questions. What's the difference?

Were you late for school yesterday?
Did you work in the supermarket yesterday?

Questions in the Past Simple

Rule 1

 was/were & could, would, must  -> beginning of the question

(= auxiliaries = hulpww)

Toelichting regel 1

- was / were is de verleden tijd van het werkwoord 'be'.

- een hulpwerkwoord is het 1e werkwoord in de zin van twee werkwoorden in totaal.
I must go to school. > 2 werkwoorden > must go.

could = kon, konden
would = zou, zouden
must = moeten

Examples

Was I late for school?
Could he help me with my homework?

Turn this sentence into a question:
You were happy to go back home.

Rule 2
All other verbs:

  Did + subject + verb

examples: 

He worked at the supermarket yesterday. 
Did he work at the supermarket yesterday?

We went to the swimming pool last week.
Did we go to the swimming pool last week?

Make a question:
She built this entire house.

Make a question:
I grabbed my books.

Rule 3: Question Word Questions 
Een vraagwoord (what, where, when, how, why, who, which) staat  vooraan

2 soorten vragen: (subject questions &) QWQ

What did you do yesterday?

Examples

Where did you put your keys?

How was the pasta?
Who did you talk to?
When did Daisy leave for school?

Make a question:
When - you work ?

More examples

Did you go to school yesterday?
Did he do his homework last week?

Was Peter at home all weekend?
Were they at Daniel's birthday party on Saturday?

Question Word Questions

One special form: Subject questions

Dad went to the grocery shop last night. 

Question?

Subject question
Met wie ging je naar de film? (the cinema?

 Past Simple Negative 

Regel 1
Bij was/were en een hulpwerkwoord voeg je not toe aan het werkwoord.
Je voegt het werkwoord + not samen  door > n't 
wasn't / weren't / couldn't

Examples

It wasn't sunny yesterday.

My parents weren't at home this morning.
I couldn't see the Mona Lisa in Paris.

Vorm een ontkenning:
He would help me an hour ago.

Vorm een ontkenning:
She heard a weird sound.

past simple negative

Regel 2
Bij alle andere werkwoorden gebruik je didn't.
Begin met het onderwerp - didn't - base form - rest van de zin.

Let op! Het werkwoord verander je weer terug naar 'the base form', net als bij een vraag!

Toelichting regel 2

He sent me a book. 
He didn't send me a book.

Opbouw ontkenning: 
onderwerp - didn't - hele werkwoord - rest van de zin.
Let op! sent (2e vorm) verandert naar send (1e vorm).

More examples

You cut too many onions. 
You didn't cut too many onions.

I studied two hours last week.
I didn't study two hours last week.

Make this negative:
You learnt three words.

Leerdoel bereikt?
Ik kan een vraag vormen in de past simple.

1. Yes
2. Almost, I need more practice
3. No, I need more explanation.

Leerdoel bereikt?
Ik kan een ontkenning vormen in de past simple.

1. Yes
2. Almost, I need more practice.
3. No, I need more explanation.

Turn into a question:
I finished my book today.

Make negative:
We were late for school.

Ask a QWQ:
I forgot my laptop IN FRENCH CLASS.