Past Simple Tense – Rules, Uses & Examples

What is the Past Simple Tense?

The Past Simple Tense is used to talk about actions or events that were completed in the past.
In this tense, the time of the action is important and is usually mentioned or understood.

We use the past simple tense to describe:

• What happened yesterday

• What happened last week / last year

• What happened at a specific time in the past

This tense is one of the most commonly used tenses in spoken and written English.

Structure of the Past Simple Tense

Affirmative Sentences

Subject + verb (past form)

For regular verbs, add -ed.
For irregular verbs, use the second form (verb²).

Examples:

• I worked yesterday.

• She visited her parents.

• They went to Delhi.

Regular and Irregular Verbs

Regular Verbs

Add -ed to the base form:

• work → worked

• play → played

• clean → cleaned

Irregular Verbs

These verbs change form:

• go → went

• eat → ate

• see → saw

• write → wrote

👉 Learning irregular verbs is very important for correct English.

Uses of the Past Simple Tense

1. Completed Actions in the Past

Use the past simple tense for actions that started and finished in the past.

Examples:

• I finished my homework.

• She called me yesterday.

• We watched a movie last night.

2. Actions at a Specific Time in the Past

Use this tense when the time is mentioned or clearly understood.

Examples:

• He joined the company in 2021.

• I met her on Monday.

• They arrived at 10 AM.

Common time words:

yesterday, last night, last week, last year, ago

3. A Series of Past Actions

Use the past simple tense to describe events that happened one after another.

Examples:

• She woke up, took a bath, and left for work.

• I entered the room and sat down.

4. Past Habits or States

The past simple tense is also used to talk about habits or situations in the past that no longer exist.

Examples:

• I played cricket as a child.

• She lived in Pune before marriage.

• He worked night shifts earlier.

Sentence Forms

Affirmative Sentences

Subject + past form of verb

Examples:

• I studied English.

• She completed the course.

• They traveled abroad.

Negative Sentences

Subject + did not + base form of verb

Examples:

• I did not go to office yesterday.

• She did not finish her work.

• They did not understand the lesson.

Short form:

• did not → didn’t

Interrogative Sentences (Questions)

Did + subject + base form of verb?

Examples:

• Did you call him?

• Did she attend the class?

• Did they reach safely?

👉 Notice: The verb is always in base form in questions.

Wh-Questions

Wh-word + did + subject + base verb?

Examples:

• When did you start learning English?

• Why did she leave early?

• Where did they stay?

Common Time Expressions Used

• yesterday

• last night

• last week / month / year

• ago

• in 2020 / in 2015

Examples:

• I completed the course last month.

• She called me two days ago.

• We met in 2019.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ I did went to office.
✅ I went to office.

❌ She didn’t went there.
✅ She didn’t go there.

❌ Did you ate food?
✅ Did you eat food?

Past Simple vs Present Perfect

More Examples for Practice

• I learned many new words.

• She improved her pronunciation.

• We completed the grammar lesson.

• They attended the meeting.

Quick Summary

• Used for completed actions in the past

• Time is important

• Uses verb-ed or verb²

• Negative and questions use did

✅ Tip for Learners

Whenever you mention yesterday, last week, or a specific past time, use the past simple tense.