Simple Past Tense
Simple Past Tense
1. Simple Past Tense to talk about an action or an event that occurred in the past and is finished at the time of speaking. (completed actions)
We use adverbs or phrases of time to indicate the past such as the following:
At one time many years ago in 1990
Last month once upon a time later
Yesterday last Sunday just now
Example:
Sometime last year, Anne decided to begin riding classes for children at her ranch to help pay for the cost of running the stables. (a past action which is over)
2. Simple Past Tense to refer to an action which took place over a period of time in the past and is finished or to report certain past events or situations in newspapers, magazines or journals.
Example:
Andrew served as a test pilot with the air force for six years before he joined a commercial airline. (past action lasting for a period of time)
Hundreds of school children, cheering and waving flags, greeted the visiting heads of state at Parliament House. (report on a past event)
3. We use used to + base form of verb to refer to an action or an event which took place regularly in the past but which does not happen anymore.
Example:
We used to swim and play tennis every Sunday at the club when we were college students.
Learning English by Uncle Teng 
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