Easy Past Tense with Examples

1. Simple Past

Main Meaning
This action ended in the past.

aMJAD did his homework last night.

Note: Simple past is correct for most actions in the past. There are only a few times when we absolutely need to use other past tenses.

2. Past Continuous

Main Meaning
This action happened over time in the past.
Most common use: to show this action was happening over time when something happened.

AMJAD was doing his homework when the earthquake started.

3. Past Perfect

Main Meaning
We use past perfect when we want to make it clear that this action happened before something in the past.

AMJAD had eaten breakfast when he left for work.

(This means Amjad ate breakfast before he went to work.)

4. Past Perfect Continuous

Main Meaning
We use past perfect continuous when we want to make it clear that this action was happening over time before something in the past.

The kitchen smelled wonderful because AMJAD had been cooking dinner.