The past simple is used to express something that happened a past point in time. Remember to always use a past time expression, or a clear contextual clue when using the past simple. If you do not indicate when something happened, use the present perfect for unspecified past.
This tense is often used with the following time expressions:
... ago
... in + year / month
...yesterday
...last week / month / year
Basic Construction
Positive
Subject + Past Tense + object(s) + time Expression
I went to the doctor's yesterday.
Negative
Subject + did + not (didn't) + verb + object(s) + time Expression
They didn't join us for dinner last week.
Question
(Question Word) + did + subject + verb + object(s) + time Expression
When did you buy that pullover?
Take this past simple quiz to check your understanding.
If you are a teacher, use this guide on how to teach the past simple tense for more help.
