The Past Simple

1. Completed past actions

We use the past simple to talk about​​ completed actions​​ and​​ events​​ in the past which are not connected to the present.

 We​​ travelled​​ to London by bus.

 Peter​​ finished​​ his studies last year.

 Jane​​ bought​​ some bread and then​​ walked​​ home.

2. Past habits

We use the past simple to talk about​​ habits​​ or​​ repeated actions in the past.

 When I was young, I always​​ spent​​ the holidays with my grandparents.

 I​​ went​​ to​​ work by bus when I worked in France.

 She​​ went​​ to lots of concerts.

3. Past situations at a concrete past time

We use the past simple to talk about actions or events​​ at a concrete past time​​ or​​ period of time.

 I​​ got up​​ at 7am.

 She​​ worked​​ from 9am to​​ 5pm.

 We​​ met​​ in 1995.

4. With for and ago

We use the past simple to refer to completed action in the past with​​ ago.

We use​​ for​​ to express the duration of a past action.

 The plane​​ arrived​​ 10 minutes​​ ago.

 Joe​​ lived​​ in Peru 10 years​​ ago.

 The journey​​ lasted for​​ two hours.

 I​​ stayed​​ in a hotel​​ for​​ five days.

5. With when

We use the past simple to ask​​ questions​​ with​​ when​​ or​​ what time.

 What time​​ did you arrive home?

 When​​ did you start working here?

 When​​ did you meet your​​ wife?

6. With adverbials

We can use the past simple with​​ adverbials​​ which refer to the past.

We use:

 last week/month/year

 yesterday, earlier today, this week

 a year​​ /​​ three days​​ /​​ a few months ago

 at two o’clock, in 2003