Fiche PDF : Le preterit en anglais

1. Definition du preterit (Past Simple)

Le preterit est le temps utilise pour decrire des actions passees, terminees et datees. Il s'emploie seul, sans auxiliaire, dans les phrases affirmatives. C'est le temps de la narration au passe.

2. Formation

Verbes reguliers : base + ed

Base verbale	Preterit	Regle
work	worked	+ ed
play	played	+ ed
stop	stopped	consonne doublee + ed
try	tried	y → ied
live	lived	+ d (e muet)

Verbes irreguliers : forme specifique (V2)

Base	Preterit	Traduction
go	went	aller
see	saw	voir
take	took	prendre
write	wrote	ecrire
speak	spoke	parler
eat	ate	manger
break	broke	casser
give	gave	donner
begin	began	commencer
do	did	faire

3. Marqueurs temporels du preterit

yesterday — hier
last week / month / year — la semaine / le mois / l'annee derniere
ago (two days ago) — il y a
in + date (in 2019) — en
when I was... — quand j'etais...

4. Forme negative et interrogative

Negatif : S + did not (didn't) + base verbale

I didn't go to the meeting.

Interrogatif : Did + S + base verbale ?

Did you finish the report?

Attention : Apres DID, le verbe revient TOUJOURS a la base verbale. On dit "Did you go?" et non "Did you went?". C'est l'erreur n.1 des francophones.

5. Exercices pratiques

Conjuguez au preterit :

She ______ (write) a letter. → wrote
They ______ (go) to Berlin. → went
I ______ (not / see) him. → didn't see
______ you ______ (eat) lunch? → Did you eat
We ______ (begin) the course in March. → began