Past simple
Definition
The past simple describes actions, events and situations viewed as finished in the past. Regular verbs usually take -ed, while irregular verbs have their own past forms.
verb + -ed (or irregular past form)
Examples
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Leila visited her grandmother last weekend.
The visit happened during a finished period in the past.
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The bus arrived ten minutes late.
The event is presented as complete.
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I didn't recognize the number.
A negative uses did not / didn’t + base verb.
Past simple vs. present perfect
I lost my keys yesterday.
The finished time yesterday places the event in a completed past period.
I have lost my keys.
The exact time is not stated, and the result matters now.
The past simple places an event in a finished past time. The present perfect connects a past event or period with the present.
It covers states and repeated actions too
The past simple is not limited to single visible actions. It also describes past states, habits and repeated events when they belong to a finished period.
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Nora lived in Seoul for three years.
The state continued for a period that is now finished.
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We walked to school every day.
The sentence describes a repeated past habit.
Common mistakes
I didn't went to work.
I didn't go to work.
After didn’t, use the base form because did already carries the past tense.
She visit us yesterday.
She visited us yesterday.
An affirmative regular verb needs its past form.
Quick check
Question 1 of 3
Which sentence correctly describes a finished past event?
Moved is the correct past form for an event in the finished year 2022.Which negative sentence is formed correctly?
The negative structure is didn’t + base verb, so didn’t call is correct.Which question uses the past simple correctly?
A past simple question uses did + subject + base verb.Nice work — you've completed the quick check.
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