Tenses

Simple Past Tense in English for Class 5

The simple past tense in English, is used to indicate an action that happened in the past. In this chapter, students of class 5 will know the tense definition , basic types of tenses , simple past tense definition and common errors that could occur while using them.

In this learning concept, students will learn the following:

• Formation of simple past tense sentences with examples
• Simple past tense rules with examples.
• Simple past tense structure with examples in sentences.

Every learning concept for class 5 English students consists of examples, illustrations, and mind maps. They can assess their learning by solving the two printable PDF simple past tense worksheet for class 5 given at the end of the page. After that, check your answers with the solutions provided in PDF format.

What is Tense?

• Tense is a verb that shows when an action happens.
• Depending on when an action happens, we can divide tenses into three types – a) Present tense, b) Past tense, c) Future tense.

Examples:

Present tense: I run every day.

Past tense: I ran yesterday.

Future tense: I will run tomorrow.

Look at the three examples. The verbs ‘run’, ‘ran’, and ‘will run’ in the sentences shows actions in the present, past, and future.

We have already learned about the present tense. In this lesson, we’ll talk about the past tense.

What is the Simple Past Tense?

1. The simple past tense is used to show an action that has already happened or has existed before now.
2. The action that was finished or completed at a particular time in the past and is over now, is written in the simple past tense.
3. It is also used to describe past habits.

Examples:

The verb ‘called’ in the sentence shows that the action already took place at a particular time in the past which is ‘yesterday’.

Making of the Simple Past Tense:

1. The “be verb” in a simple past tense changes its form depending on whether the subject is singular or plural.

a) Singular nouns and singular pronouns like ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘it’, and the personal pronoun ‘I’ are followed by ‘was’.

Examples:

1. I was not awake when you called me.
2. He was busy last night.
3. She was a good student.
4. It was cold yesterday.
5. Rahim was an artist.

2) In order to make simple past tense negative, we use ‘did not’ before the base verb and the verb form stays the same. The verb is written in the present form.

Examples:

1. We did not play cricket yesterday.
2. He did not talk to me.

3) Most of the past tense sentences are written in the manner given below. Add ‘-ed’ to the base verb to make it a simple past tense.

Examples:

1. Raghav played (play - ed) football yesterday.
2. He lived (live – d) in Canada.
3. I missed (miss – ed) my school days.
4. I learned (learn – ed) French last year.
5. I finished (finish – ed) my homework last night.

e) Add ‘-d’ to the base verb to write it in the simple past tense, if a verb ends with ‘-e’.

Examples:

1. Like – liked

I liked the blue dress in the shop.

2. Believe – believed

The policeman believed everything the robber said.

Common Mistake:

1. We can’t change all verbs into simple past by adding ‘d’ or ‘ed’. If a verb ends with ‘-y’ and the ‘-y’ is preceded by a consonant, the ‘-y’ usually changes to ‘-i’, and then we can add ‘ed’ to the word to make it simple past.

Examples:

cry – cried

• I cried last night because my brother broke my computer.
• I cryed last night because my brother broke my computer.

2. Some irregular verbs don’t show any change in their verb form when changed from the simple present tense to tense simple past tense.

Examples:

• I put my wallet on the table last night. Now I can’t find it.
• I putted my wallet on the table last night. Now I can’t find it

3. Some other verbs see a complete change in spelling when the verb form changes. Look at the examples given below:-

Examples:

• I woke up too early in the morning.
• I waked up too early in the morning.

Look at the mind map to have a better understanding of the concept.