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Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense in English is used to describe an action that got over at a
definite time in the past.

Uses
The simple past tense is used

1. for an action that was completed in the past. For example,
• It rained yesterday.
• I watched a play last Sunday.

2. to describe a past state. For example,
• She was a banker.
• I studied French when I was a kid.

3. to show a duration in the past. For example,
• She studied French for two years.
• He talked over the phone for thirty minutes.

4. to describe an action that was completed at a specific time in the past. For example,
• I went to Paris last year.
• She stayed at the beach when I was visiting the seaside.

Structure

♦ Affirmative sentences

For affirmative sentences in the simple past tense, we use the past form of the verb.

subject past form of verb rest of the sentence

• I saw a film yesterday.
• She arrived on time.
• They went to the beach.

♦ Negative sentences

For negative sentences, we have the following structure.

subject auxiliary verb not main verb rest of the sentence

subject did not base form of verb rest of the sentence

• I did not see a film. Note
• He did not eat breakfast. The main verb is used in its base
• They did not go to the beach. form in negative sentences with

auxiliary verbs in the simple past.

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