Simple past with Regular/Irregular verbs:
(+) S + V2/ed + O
(-) S + did not + V-inf + O
(?) Did + S + V-inf + O?
WH + did + S + V-inf + O?
*Note: did not = didn’t
Example:
I went to the cinema with Mary yesterday.
Did you do your homework last night? – No, I didn’t.
Simple past with Be-verb:
(+) S + was/were + …
(-) S + was/were not + …
(?) Was/Were + S + …?
WH + was/were + S + …?
*Note: was not = wasn’t were not = weren’t
Example:
Were they in Iceland last January?
I was in Japan last year.