Simple Past Tense

Simple Past Tense with examples and definition

This Past tense is used to refer to indicate an action, event or condition that has happened in the past.

Example: I went to the home.

He met her last night.

There are four kinds of past tense. They are:

  • Past Indefinite or Simple
  • Past Continuous
  • Past Perfect &
  • Past Perfect Continuous

Past Simple tense definition

Past indefinite tense is used to denote an action completed in the past or a past habit. Sometimes, it is called ‘simple past tense’.

In other words, we can say Simple Past is used to talk about a past event as a simple fact.

  Example:  We ate rice.

I played tennis.

past Simple tense  formula

Structure:  Subject + past form of main verb + Extension.

Example:  He did the work.

I ate pizza.

They did the work.

We played football.

Read also: 12 Basic Tense with examples

Simple Past Tense with examples

If there exists past indicators word like yesterday, once, the day before yesterday, last year, long since,  last night, last week, last month, last summer, as soon as, etc. then the sentence will be past indefinite tense.

Simple Past Tense with examples
Simple Past Tense with examples

Related post: Uses of the Article with Examples

Example:   I received his letter yesterday.

The Bus sailed a week ago.

Toma left the School last year.

She came home last night.

They swam across the river last year.

What did you do last night?

I had to go to the hospital last Monday.

Simple Past Tense may also be used with ‘always’, ‘usually’, ‘often’, ‘regularly’ etc. to denote past habit.

For example, I used to swim in the pond regularly.

She watered the plants regularly.

The servants usually looked after her.

To define the Past habit or Habitual Past we have to use would or used to. In this case, the structure will be:

Subject + used to / would +verb + extension.

 Example:     She used to study for many hours every day.

He would (used to) bath in the river every day.

She always carried an umbrella.

Alex would (used to) play cricket every afternoon.

Sometimes it is used without an adverb of the period. In these cases, the period indicated by the context.

Example:    I didn’t sleep well (i.e., last night)

Read more post in English grammar

Future Indefinite Tense with Examples

Future Continuous Tense with Examples

Present Continuous Tense with Examples

Past Perfect Tense with examples

Past Continuous Tense with examples and more.

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