The past simple in English.
Hi, in this week's video, you're going to learn how to use the past simple in English.
You'll learn when and how to use it with confidence.
OK, so let's get started!
First up, what is the past simple?
Well, the simplest explanation for the past simple is that it is used to talk about the past.
With most verbs, the past tense is formed by adding –ed:
For example:
walked, talked, smiled etc.
But there are a lot of irregular past tense forms in English. For a more complete list
you can click the link down below in the comment section.
for example:
Most importantly the verb "to be" has the past simple form of "was and were."
and many other very common verbs such as
began, broke, and went.
In the negative we use
didn’t (did not) + verb
for example:
I didn’t eat it.
And in questions
Did + subject + verb?
For example: What did you see?
Did you lock the door?
But questions with "who" often don't use did.
You'd say, "Who scored the goal?"
So when do we use the past simple?
Most importantly we use the past simple for completed actions in the past.
For example: We saw a film on Friday.
We use the past simple because the action took place within a finished period of time.
Friday is over so we use the past simple.
So the past simple is often used with time flags such as here, Friday or last week,
at the weekend, in 2019, 2 years ago or when we were on holiday.
To make it clear that the period of time is finished.
The past simple fixes the action in the past.
So, the past simple is used for events that happened at a particular time in the past.
For example: The bus arrived at 10 o’clock
or within a period of time in the past
for example:
She was at school between 10 am and 3 pm. ( but she’s not there now.)
or
For example:
I spent all morning cooking. It’s the afternoon now so this morning is in the past.
Imagine this on a timeline. Here we have 9am and this is midday and this is now, say 4pm.
Here is the time we spent cooking. The time stated is the morning and that is over.
We are now in the afternoon.
or I started my essay last week. Last week is definitely in the past.
or I lost my phone in Paris. Here, it is not the time flag that fixes the action in the past but the place.
However, sometimes this complete period of time is only implied.
For instance,
Shakespeare wrote over 30 plays. This was during his life and we know he is dead,
so the period of time is finished, so we use the past simple.
And sometimes the “finished period of time” is not only implied but also entirely subjective.
For example:
I saw Meghan in the office today. Today, by definition, is not over
but the speaker thinks of today, perhaps the working day, as over,
so has used the past simple.
We also use the past simple with ago.
So, for example:
My package arrived half an hour ago.
Also for a sequence of actions
So you'd say: I got up, had breakfast, left the house
Also for permanent or long-term situations in the past which are finished.
Notice here we use "for" to say how long.
I lived in Spain for 5 years.
You're no longer living in Spain. The time is over, the time period is over.
Or, for events repeated over a period of time in the past. Which is now finished.
Jack went to a lot of football matches. But he doesn’t anymore.
Or with questions asking when?
When did you move here? The move is in the past.
Or when we talk about past events which are not connected to the present.
I went to Rome but not Milan. On a particular trip which is in the past.
Or to refer to the present or future in hypotheses.
So, it might be dangerous. Suppose they got lost.
Or, this use is very common in wishes.
So, I wish it wasn't so cold.
This is referring to the present, you wish it wasn’t so cold now, and yet you use the past simple.
Similarly, with the second conditional you would say,
He could get a new job if he really tried.
We are talking about a present hypothesis, if he tried now in the present or the future
and yet we use the past simple.
OK, I hope you feel more confident now using the past simple in English.
Remember to like this video if you found it useful.
Share it with your friends and colleagues learning English
and don't forget to subscribe to my channel, Oxford English Now,
so you don't miss out on new English language videos.
Also, click the bell, so you're notified when a new video comes out.
OK, so that's it for today. Thank you for watching and see you very soon. Bye, bye.
The past simple in English.