Simple Past Tense
The simple past tense is used to talk about single or repeated occurrences in the past, during a time period that is finished.
FORM[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs
Examples:
USE 1 Completed Action in the Past
Use the Simple Past to show the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
Examples:
USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions
We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
Examples:
USE 3 Duration in Past
The Simple Past 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.
Examples:
USE 4 Habits in the Past
The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.
Examples:
USE 5 Past Facts or Generalizations
The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true. As in USE 4 above, this use of the Simple Past is quite similar to the expression "used to".
Examples:
The simple past tense is used to talk about single or repeated occurrences in the past, during a time period that is finished.
FORM[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs
Examples:
- You visited Jason.
- Did you visit Jason?
- You did not visit Jason.
USE 1 Completed Action in the Past
Use the Simple Past to show the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
Examples:
- I returned the oatmeal and tofu to the store.
- I didn't buy the fish because it wasn't on sale.
- Last year, I traveled to Denmark.
- Last year, I didn't travel to Spain.
- Did you have soup last night?
- She ate vegetable dumplings.
- He didn't eat vegetable dumplings.
- I cooked fish and curry rice for lunch yesterday.
- My parents bought bread and cheese a couple of days ago.
- I made beef stew for my family yesterday.
USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions
We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
Examples:
- I finished my homework, biked to the park, and found a nice spot under the tree to have my snack.
- She arrived from the airport at 10:00, checked into the hotel at 11:00, and met her work friends at 12:00.
- Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?
USE 3 Duration in Past
The Simple Past 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.
Examples:
- I lived in China for two years.
- Joanna studied Spanish for five years.
- They spent three hours at the grocery store.
- They did not stay at the birthday party the entire time.
- We texted back and forth on the phone for thirty minutes.
- Robert studied for his English exam every evening last week.
- A: How long did you wait for her?
B: I waited for one hour.
USE 4 Habits in the Past
The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I was a child, when I was younger, etc.
Examples:
- Bob learned how to make tortillas when he was a child.
- She played the guitar.
- She didn't play the guitar.
- Did you play a musical instrument when you were young?
- She worked at the toy store after school.
- They never went to school, they always skipped class.
USE 5 Past Facts or Generalizations
The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true. As in USE 4 above, this use of the Simple Past is quite similar to the expression "used to".
Examples:
- She was shy as a child, but now she is very outgoing.
- He didn't like tomatoes before.
- Did you live in Texas when you were a kid?
- People paid much more to make cell phone calls in the past.
- Anna was allergic to milk and eggs when she was a child, but now she can eat them.