English Language Learners Stack Exchange
English Language Learners Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [past-simple]

Questions related to the past simple, simple past or preterite, which is mainly used to describe events in the past.

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I never saw a real hippo before

I'm in a zoo, looking at a hippo. I say to my friends, I've never seen a real hippo before. My long-standing wish's been finally satisfied. Can I change the first sentence to I never saw a real hippo before?
Stephen
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"I didn't know Ed was Welsh" or "I didn't know Ed is Welsh"?

I came across these two sentences and asked myself whether I could always use both versions: I didn't know Ed was Welsh. Did you know that Cliff's wife is Canadian? Both relates to someone's nationality. I assume both people still live. So…
Corrina_Corrina
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Is it better to use past simple in that case

Apologies about this. Unfortunately nothing showed up regarding the order until recently. I will get the single packed and sent to you this week. I was wondering if past perfect can fit because "recently" means "before now", so past simple in term…
Yves Lefol
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past simple with a duration

Which sentences are correct please ? "I'd had my camera for 3 weeks before I sold it yesterday." "I had my camera for 3 weeks before I sold it yesterday." "I had my camera for 3 weeks when I sold it yesterday." "I had my camera for 3 weeks.…
Yves Lefol
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Achievements of deceased people

I want to talk about achievements of someone who is already dead. What tense should I use? Past perfect or past simple? E.g. "He had achieved so much in his life, he had sent such a powerful message out there." or something like this. Thank you.
slovakgirl
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past simple or present in this case

Is it possible to write I wanted to know if you are going to... Or shall I say I wanted to know if you were going to... in the case the event is still to happen.
Yves Lefol
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I was enjoying the party but she wanted to go home

I was enjoying the party, but she wanted to go home. It's known that "want" isn't used in Progressive tenses. So, we can't say how long she wanted to go home during the party. We don't know when it happened: in the beginning, in the middle or in…
Sergei
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Can the simple past tense be used for an unfinished action?

I was walking to the shop, but I haven’t yet arrived at the shop. And I want to inform it to someone. In this case, can I use the simple past tense (e.g. I walked to the shop)? If not, can the simple past tense be used only for a finished action?
user09827
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I was never there instead of I have never been there

Is it grammatically correct to say "I was never there" instead of "I have never been there"? I have read in Michael Swan's English grammar book that AmE speakers use the simple past more often. Would my sentence be correct in BrE? If it is possible…
Antonia A
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Does the sentence "I read a book yesterday " mean that the book was finished?

Let's say I ask someone what did you do yesterday and they answer with I read a book yesterday. Does that mean they read the book till the end? If so, then how do I say that I read a book, but I didn't finish it?
Dmytro O'Hope
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Use of the past simple to indicate an action has finished?

I was taught by an excellent teacher that in a sentence like "I cleaned the kitchen yesterday" the past simple is used to convey the whole kitchen was cleaned, otherwise you'd have to use past continuous: " I was cleaning the kitchen". I've come…
anouk
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Two Completed actions / Stated in one sentence – Simple Past

Are my below examples are giving idea of two completed actions / stated in one sentences? I just want to know are my below sentence construction are correct? And can we use Past perfect for first completed action? e.g. a) I went to hotel (Being in…
user4084
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Difference had gone and went?

I went to the school when my principal arrived at my home. Does it mean I was in school when when principal came to my home? Can went to meaning here is like Where did you go this summer ? We went to water park this summer. Or should I use had…
user4084
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past simple with until

A kangaroo injured Australian politician Shane Rattenbury in the Australian capital, Canberra, on Thursday. Mr. Rattenbury was taking a morning jog in the Canberra suburb of Ainslie when the kangaroo surprised him, and in the ensuing confrontation…
Yves Lefol
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"had not done" vs "did not do" in a sentence

At last, yesterday I listened to this radio show, although I did not do it before because I was busy. At last, yesterday I listened to this radio show, although I had not done it before because I was busy. Which one is the best? I think both are…
Yves Lefol
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