Past Time
Past Simple
FORM
[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs
Examples:
• You called Debbie. • Did you call Debbie? • You did not call Debbie.
Complete List of Simple Past Forms
USE 1 Completed Action in the Past
[pic]
Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
Examples:
• I saw a movie yesterday. • I didn't see a play yesterday. • Last year, I traveled to Japan. • Last year, I didn't travel to Korea. • Did you have dinner last night? • She washed her car. • He didn't wash his car.
USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions
[pic]
We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
Examples:
• I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim. • He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00. • Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?
USE 3 Duration in Past
[pic]
The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.
Examples:
• I lived in Brazil for two years. • Shauna studied Japanese for five years. • They sat at the beach all day. • They did not stay at the party the entire time. • We talked on the phone for thirty minutes. • A: How long did you wait for them? B: We waited for one hour.
USE 4 Habits in the Past
[pic]
The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I
FORM
[VERB+ed] or irregular verbs
Examples:
• You called Debbie. • Did you call Debbie? • You did not call Debbie.
Complete List of Simple Past Forms
USE 1 Completed Action in the Past
[pic]
Use the Simple Past to express the idea that an action started and finished at a specific time in the past. Sometimes, the speaker may not actually mention the specific time, but they do have one specific time in mind.
Examples:
• I saw a movie yesterday. • I didn't see a play yesterday. • Last year, I traveled to Japan. • Last year, I didn't travel to Korea. • Did you have dinner last night? • She washed her car. • He didn't wash his car.
USE 2 A Series of Completed Actions
[pic]
We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past. These actions happen 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and so on.
Examples:
• I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim. • He arrived from the airport at 8:00, checked into the hotel at 9:00, and met the others at 10:00. • Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then add the eggs?
USE 3 Duration in Past
[pic]
The Simple Past can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past. A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions such as: for two years, for five minutes, all day, all year, etc.
Examples:
• I lived in Brazil for two years. • Shauna studied Japanese for five years. • They sat at the beach all day. • They did not stay at the party the entire time. • We talked on the phone for thirty minutes. • A: How long did you wait for them? B: We waited for one hour.
USE 4 Habits in the Past
[pic]
The Simple Past can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past. It can have the same meaning as "used to." To make it clear that we are talking about a habit, we often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never, when I