Simple Past Tense

The Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense, in English, is used to represent an action/event that took
place in the past. With many verbs, the simple past tense is formed by adding
an ‘ed’ or a ‘d’ to the end of the base verb. However, there are other verbs which
behave differently and take different spellings when used in the simple past
form.

Definition of Simple Past Tense

The ‘simple past tense’, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as
“the form of a verb used to describe an action that happened before the
present time and is no longer happening. It is usually made by adding -ed.” The
Collins Dictionary defines the ‘simple past tense’ as “a tense used to refer to
the past.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines the simple past tense as “the tense
used to talk about habitual actions, behavior, or situations that happened or
existed before now.”

Structure of the Simple Past Tense

Learning the structure of the simple past tense can be made simple if you
analyze how the tense is used in the positive, negative, interrogative and
negative interrogative formats. Look at the table below to have a better
understanding of the same.

Structure of Simple Past Tense

Negative
Positive Negative Interrogative
Interrogative
Subject + Verb in the
past form (base form of Subject +
Did + Subject + Didn’t + Subject +
the verb + ed/d for Didn’t + Verb
Verb in the base Verb in the base
regular verbs or past in the base
form form
tense form of the form
irregular verbs)
 Example: You Example: Did you Example: Didn’t
Example: You spoke really did not speak speak really you speak really
well. really well. well? well?

I had my breakfast. I did not have Did I have my Didn’t I have my

my breakfast. breakfast? breakfast?

Rules and Points to Remember When Using the

Simple Past Tense

When conjugating a verb in the simple past tense, there are a few points you
have to bear in mind.
  Conjugating regular verbs – In order to present the main verb in the
sentence, you just have to add ‘-ed’ to the end of the regular verb and ‘-
d’ to the end of a regular verb which ends with an ‘e’.

For example: Reach – reached, kick – kicked, walk – walked, confess – confessed,
work – worked

Like – liked, introduce – introduced, force – forced, announce – announced, notice

– noticed

 Verbs that remain the same – Some verbs take the same spelling as the
base verb and remain the same in the past tense.

For example: Cut – cut, put – put, hurt – hurt, set – set, hit – hit

 Verbs that take different spelling patterns – Irregular verbs are seen
to follow different spelling patterns and there is no rule as such to
explain why they are so.

For example: Buy – bought, think – thought, draw – drew, drink – drank, see –
saw

What Do You Use the Simple Past Tense For?

The simple past tense can be used to,

 Refer to an action or event that happened in the past

 Speak about something that was true for some time in the past
 Explain something that happened more than once in the past

Forming the Simple Past Tense – Examples

To help you understand how the simple past tense can be used, here are a few
examples.

Referring to an action that happened in the past

 We went to the park yesterday evening.

 I totally forgot about the meeting.
 Manu opened the door for the guests.
Referring to an action that was true for some time in the past

 Kathie played tennis when he was in school.

 Miss Holly worked as a guest lecturer at our college.
 Santana used to love reading fantasy novels when she was younger.

Referring to an action that took place several times in the past

 I worked as an academic counsellor for six months.

 We enjoyed playing Pictionary every time we met.
 My father dropped me at school every day till I entered high school.

Examples of Simple Past Tense

1. I paid the bills already.

2. The teacher motivated her kids to stand up for themselves and their fellow
classmates.

3. Reena was a student at Delhi University.

4. Did you finish the science and maths assignments?

5. Tina did not know about yesterday’s test.

6. Didn’t he complete the paper yet?

7. Rahul played basketball in college.

8. Will and Emma were at the fair.

9. Manish sold all the sachets.

10. I thought about it, but I don’t think it will work.

Frequently Asked Questions on Simple Past Tense

in English
What is the past tense?
The simple past tense, in English, is used to represent an action event that took
place in the past. With many verbs, the simple past tense is formed by adding
an ‘ed’ or a ‘d’ to the end of the base verb. However, there are other verbs which
behave differently and take different spellings when used in the simple past
form.

What is the definition of simple past tense?

The ‘simple past tense’, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, is defined as

“the form of a verb used to describe an action that happened before the
present time and is no longer happening. It is usually made by adding -ed.” The
Collins Dictionary defines the ‘simple past tense’ as “a tense used to refer to
the past.” The Macmillan Dictionary defines the simple past tense as “the tense
used to talk about habitual actions, behavior, or situations that happened or
existed before now.”

What is the formula of the simple past tense?

The basic formula of the simple past tense is as follows:

Subject + verb in the past tense (verb + ‘ed/d’ for regular verbs)

Give some examples of the simple past tense.

Here are a few examples to show you how the simple past tense is used in
sentences.

 We went to the park yesterday evening.

 My father dropped me at school every day till I entered high school.
 Santana used to love reading fantasy novels when she was younger.
 We enjoyed playing Pictionary every time we met.
 Manu opened the door for the guests.

More Examples

1. My father (go) to work by car yesterday.

2. This morning I (have) a shower.

3. My sister (not clean) her room on Saturday.

4. The birds (fly) over our heads.

5. Last week my family (buy) a new table for the dining room.

6. The other day, I (lose) my math’s book.

7. I (tell) my mother a lie.

8. We (hear) a terrible sound outside last night.

9. you (you / see) the football match on Tuesday

night?

10. Paul (drink) a liter of coke for lunch yesterday.

11. Susan (teach) English at university last year.

12. John (not like) studying English.

13. My sister (break) my computer.

14. Sarah (write) the best poem.

15. you (you / know) the answer to the question?

16. She (be) my favorite singer when I was younger.

17. George (not be) my best friend.

18. Henry VIII (have) five wives.

19. I (study) French two years ago.

20. My daughter (draw) a nice brown cat.

 Simple Future Tense

The Simple Future Tense – What Is It?

The simple future tense is a tense that is used to represent an action that takes
place in the future. One fact that you should keep in mind is that a simple future
tense action starts and finishes in the future itself.

Check out the following definitions provided by various dictionaries to have a

better idea of what the simple future tense is.

Definition of the Simple Future Tense

The simple future tense, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is
defined as “the form of a verb that expresses what will happen after the
present.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the simple future tense as
“a verb tense that is used to refer to the future.” “A tense of verbs used when
the action or event described is to occur after the time of utterance”, is the
definition of the simple future tense according to the Collins Dictionary. The
Macmillan Dictionary defines the simple future tense as the tense that depicts
actions or events “expected to exist or happen during the time following the
present time.”

Structure and Formula of the Simple Future Tense

Let us look at the structure and formula of the simple future tense. First, take
a look at the formula to find out how the simple future tense works.

The formula of the simple future tense is as follows:

Subject + Helping verb (will) + base form of the verb + the rest of the
sentence
Now, try analyzing the structure of the simple future tense and how the
sentence structure changes when used in the positive, negative, interrogative
and negative interrogative format.

Structure of Simple Future Tense

Negative
Positive Negative Interrogative
Interrogative
Will + Subject + not
+ Base form of the
verb + the rest of
Subject + Helping Subject + Will
Will + Subject + the sentence
verb (will) + Base not/Won’t +
base form of the
form of the verb Base form of the (or)
verb + the rest of
+ the rest of the verb + the rest of
the sentence Won’t + Subject +
sentence the sentence
Base form of the
verb + the rest of
the sentence
For example: I For example: Will I
will not read the not read the
newspaper from newspaper from
For example: I will tomorrow. For example: Will I tomorrow?
read the read the
newspaper from (or) newspaper from (or)
tomorrow. tomorrow?
I won’t read the Won’t I read the
newspaper from newspaper from
tomorrow. tomorrow?
Another verb usage to represent the simple future tense is the ‘to be’ form of
the verb along with ‘going to’. Take a look at the following table to understand
how it works.

Infinitive
Positive Negative
Verb
 I am going to check for  I am not going to check
some new ideas for my for some new ideas for my
assignment. assignment.
 We are going to check  We are not going to check
for some new ideas for for some new ideas for our
To check
our assignment. assignment.
 He is going to check for  He is going to check for
some new ideas for his some new ideas for his
assignment. assignment.
  I am going to find  I am not going to find
another way to do it. another way to do it.
 We are going to find  We are not going to find
To find another way to do it. another way to do it.
 He is going to find  He is not going to find
another way to do it. another way to do it.

 I am going to meet my  I am not going to meet my

friend at the park. friend at the park.
 We are going to meet  We are not going to meet
To meet our friend at the park. our friend at the park.
 He is going to meet his  He is not going to meet
friend at the park. his friend at the park.
Rules and Points to Remember When Using the
Simple Future Tense
If you are planning to use the simple future tense, here are a few points that
you have to keep in mind. The simple future tense form of the verb should always
have two verbs – an auxiliary verb (will) and the base form of the verb.
Interrogative sentences start with the helping verb ‘will’ followed by the
subject and the base form of the main verb. A negative sentence can be
identified by the usage of ‘not’ after the auxiliary verb ‘will’. Remember that
the helping verb ‘will’ is what mainly indicates to the reader or listener that the
tense used speaks about a future or event that is going to happen in the future.

What Do You Use the Simple Future Tense for?

Knowing all the situations in which the simple future tense can be used will allow
you to use the tense effectively. Here is a glimpse of the various ways in which
the simple future tense can be used.

 To represent events or actions that are about to take place in the near
future.
 To make guesses or predictions about someone or something in the
future.
 To state or express some factual statement about the future.
 To ask questions about something or someone doing something in the
future.
 To think about future consequences, conditions or possibilities.
 To give orders or make commands as in imperative sentences.

Forming the Simple Future Tense – Examples

Look at the following examples and try to comprehend how the simple future
tense can be used for the various uses as stated above.

Representing events or actions that are about to

happen in the near future
 Danny and Sid will go to the gym in the evening.
  Agnes will be here in an hour.

Making guesses or predictions about the future

 The weather forecast said that there will be hail storms tomorrow.
 I guess the red curtain will look good for the backdrop.

Expressing a factual statement about the future

 The house they are looking for will cost them a fortune.
 The country will see a change in the weather next month like it has never
before.

Asking questions about the future

 Will you be able to complete it in time?
 Won’t she be ready to give the chief guest address on the annual day?

Thinking about future consequences, possibilities

or conditions
 Larry told me that he will be able to come to the party only if his sister
agrees to drop him off at the venue.
 If she does not take this seriously, she will get into a lot of trouble.

Giving orders or commands

 You will have to submit all your assignments by Monday.
 You will need to provide all the supporting documents if you want the loan
to be sanctioned as soon as possible.

Examples of the Simple Future Tense

1. Quinn will sing at the final auditions.

2. Madame Smith will be the judge for the cultural competitions.

3. Won’t you finish writing the song before the event?

4. I don’t think he will enjoy something like this.

5. Sandy had told me that it will not rain today.

6. Will Ad harsh visit you or not?

7. Amal will not arrive in time for the reception.

8. Santana will be your partner for the dance.

9. Do you think it will matter to them at all?

10. Abdul will give you all the instructions regarding what should be done when
you get here.

More Examples
Next summer I am going to buy a new house.

I am quite tired; I will go to bed now.

I believe Laura will like her brand new car.

Look at those guys! They are going to rob the bank.

I promise, I won’t do it again.

I think she will crash my dad’s car.

I talked to John yesterday; we are going to visit you tomorrow.

I am sorry dad; I won’t drink and drive again.

Watch out! That man is going to punch you

It is really hot in here; I will open the window.

I think we should stay at home. Look at those clouds, it is going to rain.

You can’t open the jar? Don’t worry, I’ll open it for you.

I’m going to take / will take my children to the theme park soon.

We won’t be in time for the show if we don’t hurry! It’s almost eight now!

There seems to be a traffic jam further up that road, so we‘ll take / are going
to take the other one.

The cat has been acting weird for a few days so I‘m going to take it to the vet.

She has bought some comic books for my brother. I’m sure he’ll like them.

I‘m not going to clean / won’t clean up your mess again.

Watch out! You’re going to fall /’ll fall into that hole.

This year I’ll win the lottery for sure, I have a hunch.

Frequently Asked Questions on the Simple Future

Tense
What is the simple future tense?

The simple future tense is a tense that is used to represent an action that takes
place in the future. In this tense, the action starts and finishes in the future
itself.

What is the definition of the simple future tense?

The simple future tense, according to the Oxford Learner’s Dictionary, is

defined as “the form of a verb that expresses what will happen after the
present.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the simple future tense as
“a verb tense that is used to refer to the future.” “A tense of verbs used when
the action or event described is to occur after the time of utterance”, is the
definition of the simple future tense according to the Collins Dictionary. The
Macmillan Dictionary defines the simple future tense as the tense that depicts
actions or events “expected to exist or happen during the time following the
present time.”

What is the formula of the simple future tense?

The simple future tense can be easily understood and used with the help of the
following formula:

Subject + Helping verb (will) + base form of the verb + the rest of the sentence

Give some examples of the simple future tense.

Given below are a few examples to show you how to use the simple future tense.

 Danny and Sid will go to the gym in the evening.

 The country will see a change in the weather next month like it has never
before.
 You will need to provide all the supporting documents if you want the loan
to be sanctioned as soon as possible.
 Larry told me that he will be able to come to the party only if his sister
agrees to drop him off at the venue.
 I guess the red curtain will look good for the backdrop.
 Present Perfect Tense

What Is the Present Perfect Tense?

The present perfect tense is employed in a sentence to represent an action that
just happened in the recent past and still has its effect in the present or an
action that represents an indefinite time in the past. To have a clearer idea of
the tense, let us look at how different dictionaries define the tense.

Definition of the Present Perfect Tense

The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines the present perfect tense as “the
form of a verb that expresses an action done in a time period up to the present,
formed in English with the present tense of ‘have’ and the ‘past participle’ of
the verb, as in I have eaten.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the
present perfect tense is defined as “the form of the verb used for actions or
events that have been completed or have happened in a period of time up to
now.”

A much more elaborate definition is given by the Collins Dictionary and

according to it, “the present perfect tenses of a verb are the ones used to talk
about things which happened before the time you are speaking or writing but
are relevant to the present situation, or things that began in the past and are
still happening.” The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines the present perfect
tense as one “relating to, or constituting a verb tense that is traditionally
formed in English with have and a past participle and that expresses an action
or state begun in the past and completed at the time of speaking (as in “I have
finished”) or continuing in the present (as in “We have lived here for several
years”).

Structure and Formula of the Present Perfect

Tense
The general formula of the present perfect tense is as described below:
Subject + have/has + past participle + the rest of the sentence

The structure of the present perfect tense can be analyzed with reference to
positive, negative, interrogative and negative interrogative types of sentences.
Have a look at the table given below for a closer look at the same.

Structure of the Present Perfect Tense

Negative
Positive Negative Interrogative
Interrogative
Have/has +
subject + not +
past participle +
the rest of the
Subject + Subject + Have/has + sentence
have/has + past have/has + not + subject + past
participle + the past participle + participle + the (or)
rest of the the rest of the rest of the
sentence sentence sentence Haven’t / hasn’t +
subject + past
participle + the
rest of the
sentence
Examples:
Examples: Examples: Examples:
 Haven’t I
 I have  I have not  Have I finished my
finished my finished my finished my work?
work. work. work?  Haven’t you
 You have  You have not  Have you finished
finished finished finished your work?
your work. your work. your work?  Hasn’t he
 He has  He has not  Has he finished his
finished his finished his finished his work?
work. work. work?  Hasn’t she
 She has  She has not  Has she finished her
finished finished her finished work?
her work. work. her work?  Haven’t
they
  They have  They have  Have they finished
finished not finished finished their work?
their work. their work. their work?  Have you
not finished
your work?
 Has she not
finished her
work?
 Has he not
finished his
work?
 Have they
not finished
their work?

Rules to be Followed When Using the Present

Perfect Tense
The very first thing that you will have to learn before you start using present
perfect tense is how past participles are formed. In the English language, a past
participle is formed by adding an ‘ed’ to the base form of the verb in most cases.
However, there are a number of irregular verbs that have different spellings
and do not, in any way, follow the concept of adding ‘ed’ to the base form like
regular verbs. You can take a look at the extensive list of irregular verbs to
analyze how these verbs are in their past participle form.

The next point to remember is that a sentence with the past perfect form of
the verb uses two verbs – a helping verb and a main verb. ‘Have’ and ‘has’ are the
two helping verbs that are used. ‘Have’ is used when the pronouns ‘I’, ‘you’, ‘they’
or plural nouns act as the subject in a sentence. ‘Has’ is used when the pronouns
‘he’, ‘she’, ‘it’ or singular nouns act as the subject.
Uses of the Present Perfect Tense
The present perfect tense can be used

 To denote an action or event that happened or started in the past and

still has its impact or some connection to the subject in the present.
 To indicate an action that happened in the past and continues to occur in
the present.
 To connect the events of the present to the events that happened in the
past.
Examples of the Present Perfect Tense
Learn how to use the present perfect tense effectively by going through the
examples given below.

Examples of Present Perfect Tense

Pronouns / Nouns Examples
I I have worked as a teacher for two years.
You You have worked as a teacher for two years.
We We have worked as teachers for two years.
He He has worked as a teacher for two years.
She She has worked as a teacher for two years.
They They have worked as teachers for two years.
It It has been here the whole time.
Singular noun Michael has worked as a teacher for two years.
Plural noun Devika and Priscilla have worked as teachers for two years.

Examples of the Present Perfect Tense

1. We have not found it yet.

2. Venu and Parvati have invited all their friends for today’s party.

3. Shashi has not slept all night.

4. Has he finished his work?

5. It has not been the same ever since you left.

6. They have bought a 2BHK flat.

7. You have come to the right place.

8. Have you ever been to Malaysia?

9. Do you know why she has not liked it?

10. Have you heard about the new education policies?

More Examples
Bob has visited his grandma. 2. Jimmy has played on the computer.

Sue and Walter have washed their car. 4. Andrew has repaired his bike.

Phil has helped Anne with maths. 6. Brad and Louise have watched a film.

Tamara has talked to her best friend. 8. Bridgette has drawn a picture.

Carol has read a computer magazine. 10.Tom and Alice have been to a restaurant.

Anita has not cleaned the kitchen. 2. Maureen and Gavin have not watered the
plants.

Joey has not made his bed. 4. David has not bought milk.

Lisa has not been to the baker's. 6. Aran and Jack have not done their
homework.

Jane and Ben have not tidied up their rooms. 8.Alex has not fed the hamster.

Hazel has not emptied the bin.

Have you answered the questionnaire?

Has Jenny locked the door?

Has Walter called us?

Have you seen the picture?

Have your parents gotten the letter?

Has it rained a lot?

Have they done the homework?

Has Maureen watched the film?

Has Bob read many books?

Frequently Asked Questions on the Present Perfect

Tense
What is the present perfect tense?

The present perfect tense is employed in a sentence to represent an action that

just happened in the recent past and still has its effect in the present or an
action that represents an indefinite time in the past.

What is the definition of the present perfect tense?

The Oxford Learner’s Dictionary defines the present perfect tense as “the
form of a verb that expresses an action done in a time period up to the present,
formed in English with the present tense of ‘have’ and the ‘past participle’ of
the verb, as in I have eaten.” According to the Cambridge Dictionary, the
present perfect tense is defined as “the form of the verb used for actions or
events that have been completed or have happened in a period of time up to
now.”

What is the formula of the present perfect tense?

The general formula of the present perfect tense is as described below:

Subject + have/has + past participle + the rest of the sentence

What are the rules to be followed when using the present perfect tense?
The point that you should keep in mind when using the present perfect tense is
that it has two verbs – a helping verb and a main verb. ‘Have’ and ‘has’ are the
two helping verbs that are used. This is followed by the main verb which appears
in its past participle form.

Give some examples of the present perfect tense form.

Given below are a few examples of sentences using the present perfect form of
the verb.

 Veena has not reached home yet.

 All the children have finished their assignments.
 Rinita has eaten all the mangoes.
 I have not watched the movie yet.
 Has she still not gone to the hospital?

What are the uses of the present perfect tense?

The present perfect tense can be used

 To denote an action or event that happened or started in the past and

still has its impact or some connection to the subject in the present.
 To indicate an action that happened in the past and continues to occur in
the present.
 To connect the events of the present to the events that happened in the
past.