Simple Past

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

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

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

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

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 was a child, when I was younger, etc.

Examples:

 I studied French when I was a child.

 He played the violin.
 He didn't play the piano.
 Did you play a musical instrument when you were a kid?
 She worked at the movie theater after school.
 They never went to school, they always skipped class.

USE 5 Past Facts or Generalizations

The Simple Past can also be used to describe past facts or generalizations
which are no longer true. As in USE 4 above, this use of the Simple Past is
quite similar to the expression "used to."

Examples:

 She was shy as a child, but now she is very outgoing.

 He didn't like tomatoes before.
 Did you live in Texas when you were a kid?
 People paid much more to make cell phone calls in the past.

IMPORTANT When-Clauses Happen First

Clauses are groups of words which have meaning but are often not complete
sentences. Some clauses begin with the word "when" such as "when I dropped
my pen..." or "when class began..." These clauses are called when-clauses, and
they are very important. The examples below contain when-clauses.

Examples:

 When I paid her one dollar, she answered my question.

 She answered my question when I paid her one dollar.

When-clauses are important because they always happen first when both
clauses are in the Simple Past. Both of the examples above mean the same
thing: first, I paid her one dollar, and then, she answered my question. It is not
important whether "when I paid her one dollar" is at the beginning of the
sentence or at the end of the sentence. However, the example below has a
different meaning. First, she answered my question, and then, I paid her one
dollar.

Example:

 I paid her one dollar when she answered my question.

ADVERB PLACEMENT

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:
always, only, never, ever, still, just, etc.

Examples:

 You just called Debbie.

 Did you just call Debbie?
ACTIVE / PASSIVE

Examples:

 Tom repaired the car. ACTIVE

 The car was repaired by Tom. PASSIVE
 Simple Past / Past Continuous
Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate
tenses, then click the "Check" button to check your answers.

1. A: What (you, do) when the accident occurred?

B: I (try) to change a light bulb that had burnt out.

2. After I (find) the wallet full of money, I (go, immediately)

to the police and (turn) it in.

3. The doctor (say) that Tom (be) too sick to go to work

and that he (need) to stay at home for a couple of days.

4. Sebastian (arrive) at Susan's house a little before 9:00 PM, but

she (be, not) there. She (study, at the library)

for her final examination in French.

5. Sandy is in the living room watching television. At this time yesterday, she

(watch, also) television. That's all she ever does!

6. A: I (call) you last night after dinner, but you (be, not)

there. Where were you?

B: I (work) out at the fitness center.

7. When I (walk) into the busy office, the secretary (talk)

on the phone with a customer, several clerks (work, busily)

at their desks, and two managers (discuss, quietly)

methods to improve customer service.

8. I (watch) a mystery movie on TV when the electricity went out.

Now I am never going to find out how the movie ends.

9. Sharon (be) in the room when John told me what happened, but

she didn't hear anything because she (listen, not) .

10. It's strange that you (call) because I (think, just)

about you.

11. The Titanic (cross) the Atlantic when it (strike) an

iceberg.

12. When I entered the bazaar, a couple of merchants (bargain, busily)

 and (try) to sell their goods to naive tourists who

(hunt) for souvenirs. Some young boys (lead) their

donkeys through the narrow streets on their way home. A couple of men (argue)

over the price of a leather belt. I (walk) over to a man

who (sell) fruit and (buy) a banana.

13. The firemen (rescue) the old woman who (be)

trapped on the third floor of the burning building.

14. She was so annoying! She (leave, always) her dirty dishes in

the sink. I think she (expect, actually) me to do them for her.

15. Samantha (live) in Berlin for more than two years. In fact, she

(live) there when the Berlin Wall came down.

Simple Past / Present Perfect

Using the words in parentheses, complete the text below with the appropriate
tenses, then click the "Check" button to check your answers.
1. A: Did you like the movie "Star Wars?"

B: I don't know. I (see, never) that movie.

2. Sam (arrive) in San Diego a week ago.

3. My best friend and I (know) each other for over fifteen years. We

still get together once a week.

4. Stinson is a fantastic writer. He (write) ten very creative short

stories in the last year. One day, he'll be as famous as Hemingway.

5. I (have, not) this much fun since I (be) a kid.

6. Things (change) a great deal at Coltech, Inc. When we first

(start) working here three years ago, the company (have, only)

six employees. Since then, we (expand) to include

more than 2000 full-time workers.

7. I (tell) him to stay on the path while he was hiking, but he

(wander) off into the forest and (be) bitten by a snake.

8. Listen Donna, I don't care if you (miss) the bus this morning. You

(be) late to work too many times. You are fired!

9. Sam is from Colorado, which is hundreds of miles from the coast, so he (see,

never) the ocean. He should come with us to Miami.

10. How sad! George (dream) of going to California before he died,

but he didn't make it. He (see, never) the ocean.

11. In the last hundred years, traveling (become) much easier and

very comfortable. In the 19th century, it (take) two or three months

to cross North America by covered wagon. The trip (be) very rough

and often dangerous. Things (change) a great deal in the last

hundred and fifty years. Now you can fly from New York to Los Angeles in a

matter of hours.

12. Jonny, I can't believe how much you (change) since the last

time I (see) you. You (grow) at least a foot!

13. This tree (be) planted by the settlers who (found)

our city over four hundred years ago.

14. This mountain (be, never) climbed by anyone. Several

mountaineers (try) to reach the top, but nobody (succeed, ever)

. The climb is extremely difficult and many people (die)

trying to reach the summit.

15. I (visit, never) Africa, but I (travel) to South

America several times. The last time I (go) to South America, I

(visit) Brazil and Peru. I (spend) two weeks in the

Amazon, (hike) for a week near Machu Picchu, and (fly)

over the Nazca Lines.