TENSES MADE EASY

Past Simple

We use the Past Simple to talk about actions that happened at a specific time in the past. The actions can be short or long. There can also be a few actions happening one after another. There are basically two important facts to remember about this tense.

Infinitive	Past (irregular or +ED)	Past participle (+have)
Eat	Ate	Eaten
Fly	Flew	Flown
See	Saw	Seen
Swim	swam	Swum

USE:

1.       Short actions in the past (e.g. I went to school)

2.       Long action in the past

3.       A series of actions in the past

Past Simple Tense
To Talk About actions completed in the past with no relationship to the present.
POSITIVE	SUBJECT		VERB	COMPLEMENT
	I/You/We/They He/She/It		Worked Worked	Last weekend Last weekend
NEGATIVE	SUBJECT	AUX. + NOT	VERB + ING	COMPLEMENT
	I	Did not	Work	Last weekend
QUESTION	AUX.	SUBJECT	VERB + ING	COMPLEMENT
	Did	You	Work	Last weekend?

In Positive Sentences

I saw two colorful fish in the lake yesterday                                                         (Short actions in the past)

He entered a room. Lit a cigarette and smiled at the guests                          (A series of actions in the past)

Mary tried the soup but it was too hot to eat                                                      (Short actions in the past)

I lived in New York for 10 years (I don’t live there anymore)                         (Long actions in the past)

They saw us playing football                                                                                  (Short actions in the past)

In Questions

How long did he work there?                                                                                     (Long actions in the past)

Did the telephone ring?                                                                                                 (Short actions in the past)

Did you see that?                                                                                                         (Short actions in the past)

Remember!

Common time expressions (time adverbials) in the past simple:

Yesterday, the other day, just now, the day before yesterday

In Negative Sentences

He didn’t learn any Italian when he was in Italy two year ago                      (Long actions in the past)

I wasn’t at my grandma’s when you came                                                       Short actions in the past)

Spoken Practice

1.       What did you do yesterday?

2.       How did you spend your last Sunday or Friday?

3.       What did you do during last summer vacations?

4.       How did you celebrate your last birthday?

5.       What did you do on last Eid or Christmas (for Christian Students)?

6.       Describe a memorable incident of your life.

7.       Describe a memorable trip to any place

8.       Describe a wedding you attended recently

9.       Describe any traveling experience

10.   When did you go for shopping last time and what did you buy?