Past Indefinite (Simple)

V2/ed

In interrogative and negative sentences the auxiliary did is used.

Affirmative	Interrogative	Negative
I worked.	Did I work?	I didn’t work.
He worked.	Did he work?	He didn’t work.
She worked.	Did she work?	She didn’t work.
It worked.	Did it work?	It didn’t work.
We worked.	Did we work?	We didn’t work.
You worked.	Did you work?	You didn’t work.
They worked.	Did they work?	They didn’t work.

Past Indefinite (Simple) is used to express:

1. simple past facts:

The conference began at 3 p:m.

Did you comment on the fact.

When did he leave?

2. a period of time in the past not connected with the present moment:

My child studied English for ten years at school.

He worked for the company all his life.

How long did wait at the station?

3. a succession of actions in the past:

I came from work, took off my coat, sat down on the sofa and began to read.

The bell rang, the teacher entered the classroom and the lesson started.

4. a past habit or some event that took place regularly in the past (but no longer does):

When I was a child, we always went to the seaside in summer.

He always carried an umbrella.

Besides the Past Indefinite there are two other ways of expressing habitual actions in the past. The construction used to + infinitive expresses a habit or a past situation which contrasts with the present. It does not indicate how often something happened, or how long it took:

She used to stay for supper with her family, delighting them with a fund of amusing stories.

He used to play tennis every weekend.

She didn’t use to go out very often.

The structure would + infinitive can also be used to refer to past habits. However, unlike used to it denotes only repeated actions, not states or situations:

They would spend long winter nights reading and talking to each other.

My grandfather would sit in the porch and tell his funny stories.

5. the definite place implies the use of the Past Indefinite:

Have you seen Jane today? – Yes, I saw her in the library today.

Exercises:

1. Use the Past Indefinite instead of the infinitives in brackets. Comment on the use.

1. Это самый лучший вратарь, который когда либо играл в этой команде. 2. Ты вернулся позавчера, не правда ли? 3. Вы давно играете на сцене, мисс? Простите, я забыла ваше имя. 4. Она подняла трубку и набрала номер телефона Алисы. 5. Простите, меня задержали. Сегодня у нас в аэропорту возник целый ряд непредвиденных проблем. 6. «А мы там не обедали», - в один голос сказали мальчики. 7. Вы давно в чине капитана? – Уже три года. Скоро я буду майором. 8. Ты видела его во время репетиции? 9. Когда они уехали? – Точно не знаю. Меня не было дома. 10. «Ведь вы ей еще ничего не говорили?» - резко спросил Димирест. 11. «Сколько времени вы там оставались?» - «С полчаса». – «Вас кто-нибудь видел там?» - «Не думаю». 12. Я вам так благодарна за все, что вы для меня сделали. 13. Ну, как вам понравились ваши ученики? – О, они очень смышленые, но у них сменилось так много учителей, что они совсем разучились работать.