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B1 - 01 Simple Past Tense Grammar

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Simple past tense (grammar)


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 watched a movie yesterday.
 I did not (didn't) see a play yesterday.
 Last year, I traveled to Japan.
 Did you have dinner last night?

2. A Series of Completed Actions

We use the Simple Past to list a series of completed actions in the past.

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?

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.

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.
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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?

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.

TIME EXPRESSIONS

The examples below show the placement for grammar adverbs such as:

Once Ago
In those days Last week
On Monday Yesterday

Examples:
 You went to the beach once.
 I worked in Mexico two years ago.
 We ate tamales on Saturday.
 They were in love in those days.

ADVERB PLACEMENT

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

Examples:
 You just called Debbie.
 I never called Debbie.
 We still paid our tuition.
 They always went to the beach.
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Simple past tense (structure)


1. Affirmative Sentences

Subject + Main Verb + Complement (Predicate)

Examples:
 I talked in class. Yo hablaba en clase.
 He ate every day. Él comió todos los días.
 They learnt English. Ellos aprendieron inglés.

2. Negative Sentences

Subject + Aux. Verb + Not + Main Verb + Complement (Predicate)


Examples:
 I did not [didn't] do that. Yo no hice eso.
 He did not [didn't] eat hamburgers. Él no comió harburguesas.
 They did not [didn't] learn. Ellos no aprendían.

3. Interrogative Sentences

Aux. Verb + Subject + Main Verb + Complement + ?


Wh Word + Aux. Verb + Subject + Main Verb + ?
Examples:
 Did you talk in class? ¿Habló usted en clase?
 Did they learn English? ¿Aprendieron ellos inglés?
 When did he come home? ¿Cuándo vino él a la casa?
 Where did they work? ¿Dónde trabajaban ellos?

4. Interrogatives with Who (who is an interrogative word that might be used in


different forms)

 As subject
Examples:
o Who talked? ¿Quién habló?
o Who ate pizza? ¿Quién comió pizza?

 As object
Examples:
o Who did you meet? ¿A quién encontraste tú?
o Who did he call? ¿A quién llamó él?

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