Past Simple
What Is It?
The past simple tense reports completed actions or states in the past.
Subject → verb-ed (or irregular form).
Why Use Past Simple?
- Completion: Marks finished events clearly.
- Narrative: Builds straightforward stories.
- Specificity: Ties to exact past times.
When to Choose Past Simple
- Meeting recaps or changelogs.
- Historical tech overviews.
- Personal anecdotes in emails.
- Fiction or blog posts about events.
Forming Past Simple Sentences
| Structure | Formula | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Affirmative | S + V-ed + O | “The dev pushed the commit.” |
| Negative | S + did not + V + O | “She did not merge it.” |
| Question | Did + S + V + O? | “Did you build the app?” |
| Time Expression | S + V-ed + O + yesterday | “We launched yesterday.” |
Tips for Writing with Past Simple
- Add time phrases like yesterday or last week.
- Memorize irregular verbs (go → went).
- Use for sequences (e.g., “Coded, tested, deployed”).
- Keep consistent in narratives.
- Spell-check -ed endings (stop → stopped).
Exceptions & Nuances
- Used to for past habits (e.g., “I used to code in Java”).
- In conditionals for unreal past.
- British vs. American spelling (travelled/traveled).
- No aspect for duration; use progressive.