Simple Past

Simple Past


Use 1: Completed action in the past.
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Past                Present                  Future

We use it to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes we may not actually mention the specific time, but we do have one specific time in mind.
e.g.:

I saw a movie yesterday.
She didn’t see a play yesterday.
Did you have dinner last night?

Use 2: A series of completed actions.


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Past           Present            Future
We use it to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and so on.
e.g.:
I finished working, walked to the beach and found a nice place to stay.

Use 3: Duration in past.

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Past        Present         Future

It can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.
e.g.:

I lived in Brazil for 2 years.
They didn’t stay at the party all night.
Did we talk on the phone for 30 minutes?

Use 4: Habits in the past.
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Past         Present          Future

We use to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as “used to”. And to make it clear we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, etc.
e.g.:

I played the violin when I was a child.
He didn’t play the piano.
Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid?

Use 5: Past facts or generalization.

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Past           Present            Future  

To describe past facts or generalization which are no longer true. As used on Use 4(above).
e.g.:
He didn’t like tomatoes before.
Did you live in Texas when you were a kid?
People paid much more to make phone calls in the past.

Structure:


Subject+ verb in the past+ compl.

 
Ps 1: In the Past simple tense the verbs have two forms: Irregular and regular.


Regular: the verbs end with –d or –ed

Irregular: the verbs have no rule for ending so the student must memorize them.

Ps 2: In the Simple Past tense there is also an auxiliary verb which is DID and it is used to form interrogative and negative sentences.