simplepast

The simple past, also called the past simple, is a verb tense used to describe actions that were completed at a definite time in the past. In English, regular verbs form the past tense by adding -ed to the base form (walk → walked; talk → talked). Irregular verbs use distinct past forms (go → went; see → saw; have → had). The negative is formed with did not plus the base form (I did not walk). Questions are formed with did at the beginning (Did you walk?).

Usage and functions: The simple past expresses events finished at a specific time in the past, often accompanied by time expressions such as yesterday, last week, in 1999, or when I was a child. It can also describe past habits or states, especially in narrative or informal contexts (I walked to school every day). When an action was ongoing in the past or interrupted by another action, the past continuous is often used instead.

Pronunciation and spelling notes: Regular verbs add -ed, with pronunciation depending on the final sound of the verb. Some verbs have irregular past forms that must be memorized (went, saw, took, had). Spelling rules can also affect pronunciation, such as verbs ending in -y or -e.

Contrast with other tenses: The simple past is distinct from the present perfect, which links past events to the present without a specific time (I lived in Paris in 2010 vs I have lived in Paris). The simple past provides a straightforward report of completed past actions, often used for clear sequencing in narratives.