English Tenses : Simple Past Tense

Definition Of The Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense, sometimes called the preterite, is used to talk about a completed action in a time before now. The simple past is the basic form of past tense in English. The time of the action can be in the recent past or the distant past and action duration is not important.

The above story is an example of the simple past tense.

Use Of The Simple Past

·         Completed action in the past

Examples :

·       Curtis cooked dinner last night

·       She made a cake for sue’s party

·         Duration in the past

Examples :

·       He stayed up all night

·       I lived in paris for two years

·         Habits in the past

Examples :

                   ·      Jen played the piano when she was a child 
                   ·      Tom studied Spanish when he was a student

·         Series of completed  actions

Examples :

·    He sat down, took out a notebook and pen, and started taking notes

·       He made breakfast, drove his son to school, and went to work

Signal Words

·         Just now

·         Yesterday

·         The day before yesterday

·         Last night

·         Last week

·         An hour ago

·         Three days ago

·         Two months ago

·         In the past

·         Long time ago

·         One day

·         Once

·         Once upon a time

Form

regular verbs → infinitive + ed

irregular verbs → 2nd column of the table of the irregular verbs

Examples

·         Affirmative sentences in the Simple Past – regular verbs

·         Affirmative sentences in the Simple Past – irregular verbs

·         Negative sentences in the Simple Past 
Do not negate a main verb in English. Always use the auxiliary did (Simple Past of to do) and the infinitive of the verb for negations.
There is no difference between regular and irregular verbs in negative sentences.

·         Questions in the Simple Past 
You need the auxiliary did and the infinitive of the verb.

References :

Hanafi, Tommy. 2011. Pasti Cepat Bisa 16 Tenses. Jogjakarta : Javalitera.

https://americanenglish.state.gov/

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/sim_past.htm

http://www.ef.com/english-resources/english-grammar/simple-past-tense/

English Tenses : Simple Present Tense

Definition Of The Simple Present Tense

The simple present tense is one of several forms of present tense in English. It is used to describe habits, unchanging situations, general truths, and fixed arrangements. The simple present tense is simple to form. Just use the base form of the verb: (I take, you take, we take, they take) The 3rd person singular takes an -s at the end. (he takes, she takes).

        

The above story is an example of the simple present tense.

Use Of The Simple Present

·      Habits

            Examples :

·      I always drink coffee at work

·      She gets up at 7 a.m every day

·      They usually eat dinner at home

·      True in the present

Examples :

·      He works on wall street

·      She is sixty years old

·      We live in New York

·      General facts/truths

Examples :

·      The earth is not flat

·      The sun rises in the east

·      Water boils at 100 degrees c

·      Future timetables/schedules

Examples :

·      My train arrives tomorrow

·      We fly to Paris on Monday

·      Classes begin next week

Signal Words

·         Always

·         Every day

·         Usually

·         Often

·         Sometimes

·         Rarely

·         Seldom

·         Never

Form

infinitive (3rd person singular he, she, it: infinitive + -s)

Examples

·      Affirmative sentences in the Simple Present

·      Negative sentences in the Simple Present

You must not negate a full verb in English. Always use the auxiliary do for negations and the infinitive of the verb.

·      Questions in the Simple Present

     You need the auxiliary do/does and the infinitive of the verb.

References :

Hanafi, Tommy. 2011. Pasti Cepat Bisa 16 Tenses. Jogjakarta : Javalitera.

https://americanenglish.state.gov/

http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/grammar/sim_pres.htm

http://www.ef.com/english-resources/english-grammar/simple-present-tense/