To form questions in the past simple tense in English, follow this rule:
1. Start with the auxiliary verb "did."
2. Add the subject (the person or thing you are asking about).
3. Use the base form of the main verb.
4. End with the rest of the sentence if needed (like an object or place).
5. We can use 'was' or 'were' to form questions in the past simple tense, especially when asking about a person's condition, identity, or location.
For example:
- Did you go to the store?
- Did she finish her homework?
- Were you at home last night?
- Was he sick yesterday?
To answer these questions, you may use short answers. For example:
- Did you go to the store? - Yes, I did / No, I didn't.
- Were you at home last night? - Yes, I was / No, I wasn't.
If you want to ask for additional information, you can add questions (e.g. what, where, why) at the beginning of the sentences. Examples:
- What did you do last night?
- Why did you call me yesterday?
- Where was he last night?
Conditions:
- Use "did" for all subjects (I, you, he, she, it, we, they).
- The main verb must always be in its base form (not in the past form).
- You can add time expressions like "yesterday," "last week," or "two days ago" for clarity, but they are not required.
- Use he/she/it with "was", I/you/we/they with "were"
