Past Simple Tense
Form:
Form:
Subject + Verb (past) + …..
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Use
1. A complete action in the past
We use Past simple to talk about something that happened and finished in the past.
· I went to my hometown last week.
· We had a big party yesterday.
· They got married two years ago.
Note: Time expression for past
To show that the action happened in the past, we use past time expression such as: yesterday, last night, last week, two days ago, ten years ago, etc.
Note: Regular verbs and irregular verbs
Regular verbs + d/ed => past
If verb ends in “consonance +y” change “y” to “ied”
Irregular verbs change into different form.
2. A series of complete actions in the past
We also use Past Simple to describe a series of actions that happened and finished in the past.
· Yesterday morning, I got up at 6 o’clock, had a bath, brushed my teeth, ate breakfast, and went to school.
· When I arrived, she cried and left home.
· After she ate dinner, she read books, watched TV, and went to bed.
3. Duration in the past
We use Past Simple to talk about the state that happened for a period of time in the past, but now it no longer happen.
· They had a car for six years. (they no longer have it now.)
· He lived in Japan from 1970 to 1975. (he no longer lives there.)
· She worked in a bank for ten years.
Note: Duration is often indicated by expression such as for three months, for two years, from ….to ……, etc.
4. Past habits
We use Past Simple to talk about something that happened repeatedly or regularly in the past.
· I always got up late when I was a child.
· When she was in high school, she often went to the library.
· He usually played football on the weekends when he was a student.
Note: To show repeated action, we use adverb of frequency such as: never, ever, sometimes, often, usually, always, etc.
5. Past facts
We also use Past Simple to talk about a state that was true in the past, but it is no longer true now.
· He really liked coffee before.
· In 2013, they had a big house in the city.
· She was clever when she was a child.
Note: Used to and would
We can also use “would / used to + infinitive” to talk about something that happened regularly in the past, but now it no longer happens.
· I would/used to watch TV a lot when I was young.
· She would/used to play tennis every weekend.
We also use “used to + infinitive” to talk about something that was true in past, especially past state, but now it is not true anymore.
· I used to love her.
· She used to have long hair when she was a child.
We don’t use “would” when we talk about past state which is no longer true.
· I used to love her. (not I would love her.)
· He used to be a famous singer. (not he would be a famous singer.)
Negative:
Subject + did + not + Verb (base form) +…..
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Did not = didn’t
· I did not join the party last week.
· He didn’t stay at home last night.
Question:
Did + Subject + Verb (base form) + …….?
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· Did he join the party yesterday?
· Did you read books last night?
Question word +did + Subject + Verb (base form) + …….?
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· Where did he go yesterday?
· What did you do last night?
