What action does the past simple represent? Past Simple: usage cases

What is Past Simple (Past Idefinite)

Past Simple(Past Indefinite) is the simple past tense in English, which is used to convey information about a specific event or action that happened in the past.

The name speaks for itself - this tense form is actually considered the simplest in the ocean of past tenses of the English language. The action could take place in the recent past or the distant past, and its duration, duration or completion does not matter.

Formula education Past Simple

When using correct English verbs:

Subject + verb infinitive without particle « to» + ending -ed.

My grandma danced a lot when she was young.
My granny a lot danced when I was young.

When using irregular English verbs:

Subject + 2 verb form.

Jessica hung out with her foreign mates at the record store last week.
Last week Jessica hanging out with my foreign friends.

Word markers and pointers in the Past Simple

The main indicators of “Past Simple” time include the following words and phrases:

• yesterday- yesterday,
• last week- last week,
• two hours ago- two hours ago,
• then- Then,
• in 1998- in 1998, etc.

Mom bought that bag by Gucci in 2005.
Ma bought that Gucci bag in 2005.

Yesterday they watched their favorite photos from the past.
Yesterday They watched your favorite photos from the past.

Affirmative sentences in Past Simple

The affirmative sentence in “Past Simple” is constructed quite simply. First comes subject, followed by verb with ending «- ed"if it is correct (regular); or second verb form, if it refers to irregular verbs ( irregular verbs). Regardless of person or number English subject, the predicate remains identical for everyone. Past Simple rules and examples can be found in the table below.

Interrogative sentences in Past Simple

To create an interrogative sentence ( interrogative sentence) in “Past Simple”, you just need to put the auxiliary verb “ did", then subject and finally initial form of the semantic verb(i.e. infinitive without the particle “to”).

Negative sentences in Past Simple

As in a regular affirmative sentence, a negative sentence ( negative sentence) you should start with subject. Next we add the auxiliary verb “ did"with a negative particle" not»: « did not / didn't", and then we use the infinitive form of the verb without using the particle " to" Voila!

Using verbs in the Past Simple

When it comes to the past tense in English, many people probably have the question: “How to use the verb correctly” be"?" To avoid asking such a question, let us recall that this verb has a couple of forms: “ was» / « were» / « been" Since we are talking about “Past Indefinite”, we, accordingly, need the second options based on the rules for constructing this English-speaking tense.

It's time to give a couple of examples " Past Simple" for clarity:

Gee, I don"t have any idea where that guy was last time!
My God, I have no idea where was that guy last time!

Their kids were typical sweetums and binged on candies almost every day back in the days.
In the past their children were typical sweet tooths and ate candy almost every day.

Formation of Past Simple in active and passive

When we touch on "Past Simple", it is important to remember that this tense has 2 options. One is used for active voice(Active voice) - time " Past Simple Active" The second is for passive voice - time " Past Simple Passive».

• Passive voice:

If used correct verbs in " Past Simple»:

Subject + verb was/were + infinitive verb without particles « to» With ending «- ed».

That seascape was painted by Edward William Cooke in the 19th century.
That seascape was painted by Edward William Cook in the 19th century.

Subject + verb was/were + 3 form verb

Their names were forgotten two decades ago.
Their names were forgotten two decades ago.

Affirmative sentence: "Past Simple Passive" vs. "Past Simple Active":

"Black Widow" was written by Iggy Azalea in 2014.
Iggy Azalea wrote"Black Widow" in 2014.
Iggy Azalea wrote the song "Black Widow" in 2014.

Negative sentence: "Past Simple Passive" vs. "Past Simple Active"

"Cloud Atlas" wasn't directed by Hayao Miyazaki then.
Hayao Miyazaki didn't direct"Cloud Atlas" then.
Hayao Miyazaki was not the director of Cloud Atlas back then.

Interrogative sentence: "Past Simple Passive" vs. Past Simple Active"

Was that mansion built by my ancestors last century?
Did my ancestors build that mansion last century?
My ancestors built that mansion last century?

Uses of Past Simple

Difference between Past Simple and Present Perfect

Nota Bene: To understand “Past Simple” once and for all and understand what the difference is between it and “Present Perfect”, do not forget to pay attention to the free online simulator from EnglishDom. There you will not only find an explanation of the grammatical nuances of using these two tenses, but you will also be able to consolidate the learned material in practice.

Conclusion

So we figured out what this strange time “Past Indefinite” is, and also talked about the differences between “Past Simple” and “Present Perfect”. Feel free to use this time in English speaking and share your memories and impressions with friends and colleagues!

We invite you to familiarize yourself with other tenses of the English language

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

English language learners encounter this grammatical topic fairly quickly. You need to tell, for example, what you did yesterday. How to do it? Obviously, use a special form of the verb, different from the one used in the present tense. To do this correctly, you need to know the general principle by which the past tense is formed in English. This is what this article is about.

When is the best time to start studying?

First of all, it is necessary to clarify that you need to approach the study of the past form of a verb only after you have completely mastered how to form the present tense. Especially in sentences where pronouns are the subject he, she, it(or their corresponding nouns). If you still do not feel confident with the present tense, then it is better to postpone a detailed acquaintance with the past. Otherwise, you risk getting confused. Especially in light of the fact that it is necessary to study not only affirmative, but also interrogative and negative sentences.

Let's start by understanding the two main principles by which English verbs change in the past tense. This is the basis of this topic in grammar.

Regular and irregular verbs

The first group is the most numerous, but the method of formation here is the simplest. In the second group, everything is somewhat more complicated, which is why verb forms have to be learned by heart. But the plus is that there are not so many of them. And there are even fewer of those that are constantly used in speech. But first things first.

Let's start with regular verbs. They are named so because they form the past tense according to a single pattern (rule). In English this is done by adding the suffix -ed. For example:

• look - looked - looked;
• answer - answered - answered.

In these chains you see the initial form of the verb, then the simple past tense (in English Past Simple) and the past participle (Past Participle).

If the stem of the verb ends with a consonant and a vowel - y, then in the past form it changes to - i, as in these examples:

• cry - cried - cried;
• study - studied - studied.

If before -y there is one more vowel, then no change occurs:

• destroy - destroyed - destroyed.

With the second group of verbs (irregular) the situation is somewhat more complicated. They have no fixed ways of forming past forms. In addition, irregular verbs often have different forms of the past tense and the corresponding participle, for example:

• write - wrote - written.

In some cases, two forms or even all three may coincide:

• send - sent - sent;
• put - put - put.

Since such verbs do not follow a single rule for the formation of past forms, they are simply remembered like a poem.

Past forms for be, have, can

These verbs are used not only as semantic ones, but also as auxiliary and modal ones (that is, they convey a certain grammatical meaning), so they need to be highlighted separately.

Past tense in English: a brief description

Surely you already know that there are a total of 12 tenses in this language. It turns out that there are 4 of them that have passed. Let’s figure out why each one is needed.

Past Simple is used when:

1. The action took place at a certain, known moment in the past (or there was a constant sign of the object):

   We lived there in 1998.
   He was a doctor.

2. The action was repeated regularly in the past:

   I went fishing every summer.

3. Several actions were performed in the past one after another:

   She came home, had lunch, washed the dishes and went shopping.

Past Continuous is used when:

1. The action took place at the indicated moment in the past:

   Last night I was watching TV at home.

2. The action lasted for a designated period of time in the past:

   They were playing football from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m.

Past Perfect is used when:

1. An action occurred before a certain moment in the past (or before another past action):

   She had cooked dinner before I came back.

Past Perfect Continuous used when:

1. The action lasted and ended in the past; Often this is the result:

   He was tired because he had been working all night.

Declarative, interrogative and negative sentences

Let's look at the basic principles in the form of a diagram. Can be formed Various types sentences, which will be united by one similarity - the past tense. The English language offers fairly similar basics, which are not difficult to remember.

In the diagrams below, V means verb (verb), and the numbers 2 or 3 in the lower corner are the second or third form in the table of irregular verbs.

Easier than it seems - that’s what can be said about such a phenomenon as the past tense in English. The more you practice (do exercises, listen to texts, read, answer questions, participate in dialogues), the better you will do. Not all of the past tenses are used in everyday speech. But you need to know them all in order to understand books to read, newspapers, etc. are complex sources of information. Indeed, in a sentence in English, the type of tense used helps to better understand the idea expressed by the author.

Examples of affirmative sentences translated into Past Simple. In the article I prepared simple sentences, can be practiced with children, 3rd and high school students. I also posted interrogative and negative sentences here. All examples are from native English speakers.

Simple sentences translated into Past Simple

1. I had a doll.
I had a doll.
2. Yesterday was Sunday. Yesterday was Sunday.
3. We listened to fairy tales.
We listened to fairy tales.

4. Mark watched cartoons.
Mark watched cartoons.
5. My mom cooked a cake.
My mother made a cake.
6. My dog ​​was black.

My dog ​​was black.

7. We played outside.
We played outside.
8. He didn't like my toys.
He liked my toys.
9. They asked a teacher.

They asked the teacher.
10. She helped her mom.
She helped mom.
Past Simple sentences with irregular verbs
1. We went to the zoo.

We went to the zoo.

2. A cat ate. The cat ate.
3. My mom bought a doll. My mother bought a doll.
4. I took my toy. I took my toy.
5. We drank a lemonade. We drank lemonade.
6. Kate saw a rainbow. Katya saw a rainbow.

7. You draw a nice house.
You drew a beautiful house. 8. They made nice flowers.
They made beautiful flowers.
9. He traveled around the world. He traveled the world.
10. She created her own company. She created her own company.

1. I learned English.
I studied English.
2. He didn’t play football.
He played football.
3. We washed our hands.

We washed our hands.
4. They cleaned my room.
They cleaned my room.
5. She cooked spaghetti.

She cooked spaghetti.
6. We baked a cake.
We baked a cake.
7. I brushed my hair.
I combed my hair.

9. He fixed his bike.
He fixed his bike.
10. She dried her hair.
She washed her hair.
1. I read a book.

I read a book.

2. I drew a picture.
I was painting a picture.
3. I wrote a message.
I was writing a letter.
4. I took a nap.

I was dozing. 5. I rode my bike.
I was riding a bike. 6. I swam.
I swam.
7. I ate ice-cream.
I was eating ice cream. 8. I drank water. I drank water.

9. I went to the movies. I went to cinema.
10. I read an article.
I read the article. Past Simple examples of interrogative sentences with translation
1. Did she eat sushi? Did she eat sushi?
2. Where were they lost? Where were they lost?
3. What did he create? What did he create?

4. Who are the candies?

Who ate the candy? Past Simple 5. Did you boil the water?

Have you boiled water?

• 6. Did they usually take the subway to school? Do they usually go to Skoda by metro?
• 7. Did Mary watch a movie last night?

Did Mary watch a movie last night?

• 8. When did you go to Moscow?

When did you go to Moscow? 9. Did she book our flights? Did she book us a flight?

• paid – Past Simple form wrong verb pay
• last week – indicates the use of Past Simple

Negative form

Subject + did + not + Infinitive without to

1. I did not buy any milk yesterday - Yesterday I did not buy milk.

• not – negative particle
• buy – infinitive without to

2. My friend did not pick me up - My friend did not pick me up.

• did – auxiliary verb to do in the Past Simple form
• not – negative particle
• pick up – infinitive without to

3. Last summer they did not go on holiday - Last summer they did not go on vacation.

• did – auxiliary verb to do
• not – negative particle
• go – infinitive without to

Interrogative form

did + Subject + Infinitive without to

1. Did they sing that funny song? – Did they sing that cheerful song? (general question)

• first
• sing – infinitive without to

2. Did you teach her to read? -Did you teach her to read? (general question)

• did – the auxiliary verb to do in the Past Simple form stands on first place to formulate a question
• teach – infinitive without to

3. Why did she stop visiting you? – Why did she stop visiting you? (special question)

• did – auxiliary verb to do is worth after question word why and before subject to
• stop – infinitive without to

#2 Uses of Past Simple

1. To express an action that occurred at a certain moment in the past. Used with the following words and expressions: yesterday - yesterday, last week (month, year, etc.) - last week (last month, year, etc.), a week ago (an hour ago, a year ago, etc.) - week (hour , a year ago, the other day– the other day, in 2014 – in 2014, and some others.

• Someone knocked at the door half an hour ago - Someone knocked on the door half an hour ago.
• It snowed yesterday - It snowed yesterday.

The time of action can also be expressed subordinate clause.

• I noticed him when he called my name - I noticed him when he called me by name (when he called my name - subordinate clause).
• My brother learned to swim when he was on holiday - My brother learned to swim when he was on holiday (when he was on holiday - subordinate clause).

2. For expression row past actions in the order in which they occurred.

• They opened the door and entered the house - They opened the door and entered the house.
• We went to the cinema, watched a film, then popped to a cafe and grabbed a couple of drinks - We went to the cinema, watched a film, then popped into a cafe and grabbed a couple of drinks.

3. For expression usual, repeated actions in the past.

• When my sister was little she cried every day - When my sister was little, she cried every day.
• At my previous workplace we had a staff meeting every Friday – On my previous work meetings for workers were held every Friday.

#3 Verb TO BE in Past Simple

Linking verb TO BE It has two forms in Past Simple:

1. was(used with nouns or pronouns in the 1st or 3rd person singular form);
2. were(used with nouns and pronouns in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd person plural).

• I was very busy yesterday - Yesterday I was very busy.
• They were in Rome in 2010 - They were in Rome in 2010.

During education negative And interrogative sentences with linking verb TO BE auxiliary verb did not used.

• Was she in the office last Monday? – Was she in the office last Monday?
  Did she be in the office last Monday?
• Are you tired? – Were you tired?
  Did you be tired?
• The weather was not so nice as last time - The weather was not as good as last time.
  The weather did not be so nice as last time
• Probably they were not at home when you came - Perhaps they were not at home when you came.
  Probably they did not be at home when you came

#4 Regular and irregular verbs

When using the Past Simple, you should pay special attention to the formation of forms of the semantic verb. In English, verbs are divided into correct And incorrect.

TO correct verbs are those verbs that form the past simple by adding the ending -ed to the stem of the verb. TO wrong Verbs include verbs that form the Past Simple in other ways.

• She cut her finger when she was cooking dinner - She cut her finger when she was preparing dinner.
• Everyone stood up when the teacher entered the classroom - Everyone stood up when the teacher entered the class.

We continue to study the tenses of the English language. Let's look at the Past Simple tense - the past indefinite tense in English. Before you get acquainted with the Past Simple table, it is advisable to learn how to use In addition to the sentence structure and cases of using this tense, I will draw your attention in this article to the shortcomings of students, and Past Simple table, will help us with this.

The Past Simple is used:

to express an action that happened sometime in the past and is not related to the present. In this case, the moment of the action is either indicated using marker words or implied. For example: We bought a flat (yesterday). We bought an apartment (yesterday).

to describe a series of sequential actions in the past. For example: He woke up up, cleaned his teeth, had breakfast and walked to school.

to express an action that in the past occupied a certain period of time (it is indicated by the words for And during). For example: She didn't speak for an hour.

Marker words(read more about marker words in the article) for Past Simple: yesterday, last week (month, year, autumn), in 2013, 3 days ago. Also indicators of the past tense in English are the words when (when) and where (where)- an indication of a certain time in the past. Therefore, the Past Simple table will be useful to you, in particular, for questions that begin with When? and Where? For example: Where did you go?

Legend for the Past Simple (The Past Indefinite Tense) table:
V– verb – verb
S– subject – subject (who? what?)
Ved – regular verb with the ending – ed (“regular” are verbs that form the affirmative form of The Past Indefinite Tense according to the rule - by adding the ending -ed to the main form of the verb e.g. I work - I work ed(I work - I worked))
V2– “irregular” verb in the second form (“irregular” are verbs that form the affirmative form of The Past Indefinite Tense not according to the rule (by adding the ending -ed to the main form of the verb), but by changing the main form. To do this, you need to use a verb, standing in the second column of the table of irregular verbs, e.g. I go - I went (I go - I walked). - 195). Then, when forming a statement in the past indefinite tense, you can confidently add the ending -ed to those verbs that are not in the table of irregular verbs.

THE PAST INDEFINITE TENSE
(THE PAST SIMPLE)

Past indefinite tense

Affirmative form
+

I hope everything is clear with the statement in the past tense. The situation is more complicated with questions - general and special. The video below provides an accessible and simple explanation of how to write questions in Past Indefinite Tense.

Interrogative form
?

Wh-?
Special questions

(start with special words)

Negative form
—

Interrogative-negative form
(Speaking)
?-

Schematically the structure of the sentence in Past Simple can be shown like this:

+
S+V2(ed)

?
Did + S + V?

Wh - ?
Wh + did + S + V?

–
S + didn't + V

? –
Didn't + S + V?

Such a diagram can be printed out and, together with others, pasted into a notebook, for example, a ready-made cheat sheet, where everything is short and concise.

The past indefinite tense of the English language is usually easy for students - some have heard about irregular verbs and, before starting to study this tense, managed to learn the well-known “three columns”, while others are attracted by the presence of only one auxiliary verb did when constructing questions and negations. Sometimes, however, students forget about the ending - ed in the affirmative form. Past Simple table (The Past Indefinite Tense) is simple and will be understandable to anyone, the main thing is to understand it right away and not delay practice.