Past indefinite tense
Definition
The past indefinite (simple past) tense describes actions or events that happened and finished in the past. Use it for past events, completed actions, habitual actions in the past (often with used to), and time-bound statements (yesterday, last week, two days ago).
regular and irregular verbs
– Regular verbs: base verb + ed / + d (work → worked, play → played)
Irregular verbs: change form (go → went, buy → bought, see → saw)
Structures & examples
1. Affirmative (positive sentence)
Structure: Subject + past form of the verb
Examples:
1. I went to the market yesterday.
2. She paid the bill last week.
3. They worked on the project two days ago.
2. Negative (negative sentence)
Structure: Subject + did not / didn’t + base verb (Remember: use the base verb after did/didn’t — do not use the past form.)
Examples:
1. I didn’t go to the market yesterday.
2. He did not pay the bill.
3. We didn’t see the documentary last night.
3. Interrogative (question)
Structure: Did + subject + base verb + ? (Again, use base verb after did.)
Examples:
1. Did you finish the assignment?
2. Did she buy a ticket?
3. Did they play football yesterday?
4. Negative-interrogative (question + negative)
Common forms: Didn’t + subject + base verb + ? Or the more formal Did + subject + not + base verb + ?
Examples:
1. Didn’t you call me last night?
2. Didn’t he finish the paper?
3. Did she not attend the meeting?
Quick rules & tips (simple past tense rules)
– Use time expressions: yesterday, last week, ago, in 2010, two days ago.
– For be: use was / were (I was, they were).
– Some verbs don’t change (put → put, cut → cut).
– Spelling changes: add -ed for most regular verbs; for verbs ending in e add -d (love → loved); for consonant + vowel + consonant, sometimes double final consonant (stop → stopped).
– After did / didn’t, always use the base verb (did + base verb).
– Use used to for past habitual actions (I used to play football).
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