How to Use the Past Simple

Video Overview

Did you know the past simple (also known as the simple past) is the second most used tense in spoken and written English? This video will help you remember the grammar rules and formula for the past simple tense in English and when to use it.

Video Analysis

For regular verbs, all you need to do to make the past tense is to add 'ed' to the word or just 'd' if the word already ends in the letter 'e'.

walk - walked

cook - cooked

type- typed

We use the past simple to talk about specific actions that happened in the past and are finished now.

I walked to school today. (I am finished walking)

I went shopping after work. (The shopping is finished now)

I read that book already. (I read the book in the past. I am finished reading it)

When we use 'always' and 'every' with times in the past simple, we can talk about repeated actions in the past that are finished now.

I made lunch at home every day when I was in college.

I always ate with my Grandmother when she was alive.

I went to the beach every weekend when I lived in Spain.

Our video and write up about the Past Simple will help you understand when and how to use the tense and give you some example sentences to show you how it works. 

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