Past Simple: Complete Grammar Guide with Examples
The Past Simple is one of the most important tenses in English. It is commonly used to describe actions that happened at a specific time in the past. This tense is essential for learners at CEFR levels A1–A2, especially when talking about past experiences, events, or completed actions.
What Is the Past Simple? (Definition)
The Past Simple is used to describe:
- Completed actions in the past
- Past habits and routines
- Events that happened at a specific time in the past
Form:
Regular verbs: base verb + -ed
Irregular verbs: unique past form (e.g., go → went, have → had)
When to Use the Past Simple? (Specific Uses)
Completed Actions in the Past
Actions that happened and finished at a known time.
I visited Paris last year.
She finished her homework yesterday.
Past Habits and Routines
Repeated actions in the past.
When I was a child, I played football every weekend.
Specific Past Events
Something that happened at a particular moment in the past.
The train arrived at 8 p.m.
He called me an hour ago.
Past Simple Rules (Grammar Rules)
Affirmative Sentences:
Subject + past verb
- I watched a movie. (Regular verb)
- She went to the beach. (Irregular verb)
Negative Sentences:
Subject + did not (didn’t) + base verb
- I didn’t watch the movie.
- He didn’t go to the beach.
Questions:
Did + subject + base verb?
- Did you watch the movie?
- Did she go to the beach?
Spelling Rules for Regular Verbs
| Ending | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Most verbs | +ed | play → played |
| Verbs ending in -e | +d | love → loved |
| Verb ending in consonant + y | change y → ied | study → studied |
| One-syllable verbs ending in CVC* | double the consonant + ed | stop → stopped |
CVC = consonant + vowel + consonant
Common Time Expressions with Past Simple
- Yesterday
- Last night / week / month / year
- In 2010 / in March
- Two days ago / a week ago / a year ago
- When I was a child
- Then / after that / finally
Examples with CEFR-Level Sentences
| Sentence | Use |
|---|---|
| I visited London last summer. | Completed action |
| She studied English two years ago. | Completed action |
| They didn’t go to the party. | Negative |
| Did he call you yesterday? | Question |
| When I was young, I played tennis every weekend. | Past habit |
🚩 Important Rules to Remember
- Do not use the past verb form in negatives or questions. Always use the base form after did/didn’t.
She didn’t went → She didn’t go
- Memorize the most common irregular verbs:
go → went, have → had, eat → ate, see → saw, come → came, take → took, give → gave, etc.
Conclusion
The Past Simple is essential for talking about completed actions, past events, and habits. Mastering this tense allows you to clearly express what happened in the past, whether yesterday, last year, or long ago.
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