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Simple Past Tense

The simple past expresses an action in the past taking place once, never or several times.

It also can be used for actions taking place one after another or in the middle of another action.

Form

[VERB + ed] or Irregular Verbs
You called Adam.
Did you call Adam?
You did not call Adam.

Info

It's similar to the present simple because it has different rules for the verb be which become was or were.

Use 1 : Completed action in the past

It is used to express an action started and finished at a specific time in the past.

Examples:

I saw a football match yesterday.
Last year, I travelled to Greece.
Last year, I didn't travel to Amsterdam.
Did you have dinner last night?
She cleaned the dishes.
He didn't washed his car.

Use 2 : A series of completed actions

It is also used to list a series of completed actions in the past.

These actions happen on first, second, third and so on.

Examples:

I finished work, walked to the beach and found a nice place to swim.
He arrived from the airport at 10.00, checked into the hotel at 12.00 and met the others at 1.00.
Did you add flour, pour the milk and then add the eggs?

Use 3 : Duration in past

It can be used with a duration which starts and stops in the past.

A duration is a longer action often indicated by expressions.

Examples:

I lived in Korea for two years.
Zack studied Korean for three 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.

Use 4 : Habits in the past

It can also be used to describe a habit which stopped in the past.

It can have the same meaning as used to.

When talking about a habit, often add expressions such as: always, often, usually, never,etc.

Examples:

I studied Korean when I was a child.
He played the guitar.
He didn't play the piano.
Did you play 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

It is used to describe past facts or generalizations which are no longer true.

This use of the simple past is quite similar to the expression used to.

Examples:

She studied 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.