Simple past tense also called past indefinite tense or past simple tense, is one of the most exciting and essential tenses in English grammar tenses.
Why?
Let’s find out!
Table of Contents
- Simple Past Tense Examples
- Use of Simple Past Tense With Examples
- Simple Past Tense Structure
- Answering Questions In Simple Past Tense
We often talk about the things that happened in the past, right? The things that happened before “now- the present time.”
The simple past tense talks about something that happened in the past – “the things that are finished and over.” So, to talk about or express something that happened before now, we use simple past tense (past indefinite tense).
Simple Past Tense Examples
Let’s learn past simple tense with examples…
We use simple past tense or past simple to talk about something that happened a minute ago, an hour ago, a day ago, a year ago, or a few years ago.
We also talk about what someone did this morning, yesterday, last night, last week, or last year. We will see some past simple examples to understand this.
But before that, look at the image below…
It’s a timeline. Suppose you are at “NOW,” Thursday at 10 am. Whatever happened before now (before Thursday 10 am), you can describe using the simple past tense.
Here are some of the simple past (past indefinite tense) example sentences:
Keep in mind the timeline while reading the below sentences. It will help you understand the use of past indefinite tense.
I received an email a minute ago.
John just got your message.
She called me an hour ago.
I saw her this morning.
We had breakfast at 8 AM.
They went to the shopping mall last night.
I met her yesterday.
He went there a week ago.
You went there a year ago.
They came to this city in 2014.
Use of Simple Past Tense With Examples
We can use simple past tense in the given below situations.
To talk about an action, event, or situation that started and ended in the past.
I saw him.
She came here.
We worked all day.
She studied music in college.
John got the job in an IT company.
To talk about something that happened a short time ago.
I saw him a minute ago.
I met her this morning.
We went to a bar last night.
She called me this week on Monday.
They came to this city a week ago.
To talk about something that happened a long time ago.
My grandfather died in 1990.
Many people died in the world war.
They lived here a long time ago.
We met ten years ago.
I saw him in 2012.
Her parents got divorced in 2014.
Simple Past Tense Structure
Simple Past Tense structure helps us make different types of sentences in the past simple or past indefinite tense. We are going to discuss the following four types of sentences in simple past (past indefinite tense):
- Affirmative
- Negative
- Questions/ Interrogative
- Interrogative negative
Past Indefinite or Simple Past Tense Sentence Formation
1. Affirmative:
Sentence structure:
Subject + V2 (Past form of verb) + object
Examples of simple past affirmative sentences:
I got up early today.
Get (V1) – Got (V2)
We stayed at the hotel.
Stay (V1) – Stayed (V2)
He gave me good advice.
Give (V1) – Gave (V2)
She left the job.
Leave (V1) – Left (V2)
I spoke to her about this last night.
Speak (V1) – Spoke (V2)
Susan met me at 6 o’clock this evening.
Meet (V1) – Met (V2)
They bought a new car.
Buy (V1) – Bought (V2)
They got married last year.
Get (V1) – Got (V2)
She visited her parents last week.
Visit (V1) – Visited (V2)
Mr. Smith taught us English grammar in school.
Teach (V1) – Taught (V2)
2. Negatives:
Sentence structure:
Subject + did not + V1 + object
Note: We usually use “didn’t” instead of “did not”. “Didn’t” is the contraction or short form of “did not”.
Examples of simple past negative sentences:
I didn’t get up early today.
Get (V1) – Got (V2)
We didn’t stay at the hotel.
Stay (V1) – Stayed (V2)
He didn’t give me good advice.
Give (V1) – Gave (V2)
She didn’t leave the job.
Leave (V1) – Left (V2)
I didn’t speak to her about this last night.
Speak (V1) – Spoke (V2)
Susan didn’t meet me at 6 o’clock this evening.
Meet (V1) – Met (V2)
They didn’t buy a new car.
Buy (V1) – Bought (V2)
They didn’t get married last year.
Get (V1) – Got (V2)
She didn’t visit her parents last week.
Visit (V1) – Visited (V2)
Mr. Smith didn’t teach us English grammar in school.
Teach (V1) – Taught (V2)
3. Questions:
Sentence structure:
Did + subject + V1 + object?
Examples of simple past negative sentences:
Did I get up early today?
Get (V1) – Got (V2)
Did we stay at the hotel?
Stay (V1) – Stayed (V2)
Did he give me good advice?
Give (V1) – Gave (V2)
Did she leave the job?
Leave (V1) – Left (V2)
Did I speak to her about this last night?
Speak (V1) – Spoke (V2)
Did Susan meet me at 6 o’clock this evening?
Meet (V1) – Met (V2)
Did they buy a new car?
Buy (V1) – Bought (V2)
Did they get married last year?
Get (V1) – Got (V2)
Did she visit her parents last week?
Visit (V1) – Visited (V2)
Did Mr. Smith teach us English grammar in school?
Teach (V1) – Taught (V2)
4. Interrogative Negative:
Sentence structure:
Did + Sub + not + V1 + object?
Or,
Didn’t + sub + V1 + object?
Examples of simple past interrogative negative sentences:
Did I not get up early today? Or, Didn’t I get up early today?
Get (V1) – Got (V2)
Did we not stay at the hotel? Or, Didn’t we stay at the hotel?
Stay (V1) – Stayed (V2)
Didn’t he give me good advice?
Give (V1) – Gave (V2)
Didn’t she leave the job?
Leave (V1) – Left (V2)
Didn’t I speak to her about this last night?
Speak (V1) – Spoke (V2)
Didn’t Susan meet me at 6 o’clock this evening?
Meet (V1) – Met (V2)
Didn’t they buy a new car?
Buy (V1) – Bought (V2)
Didn’t they get married last year?
Get (V1) – Got (V2)
Didn’t she visit her parents last week?
Visit (V1) – Visited (V2)
Didn’t Mr. Smith teach us English grammar in school?
Teach (V1) – Taught (V2)
Answering Questions In Simple Past Tense
You can give short answers to the questions in the simple past tense.
Did you get up early today?
Yes, I did. (Positive)
No, I didn’t. (Negative)
Did we stay at the hotel?
Yes, we did. (Positive)
No, we didn’t. (Negative)
Did he give me good advice?
Yes, he did. (Positive)
No, he didn’t. (Negative)
Did she leave the job?
Yes, she did. (Positive)
No, she didn’t. (Negative)
Did I speak to her about this last night?
Yes, you did. (Positive)
No, you didn’t. (Negative)
Did Susan meet me at 6 o’clock this evening?
Yes, she did. (Positive)
No, she didn’t. (Negative)
Did they buy a new car?
Yes, they did. (Positive)
No, they didn’t. (Negative)
Did they get married last year?
Yes, they did. (Positive)
No, they didn’t. (Negative)
Did she visit her parents last week?
Yes, she did. (Positive)
No, she didn’t. (Negative)
Did Mr. Smith teach us English grammar in school?
Yes, he did. (Positive)
No, he didn’t. (Negative)
