Have you Ever caught yourself thinking,
"Did I go to the cinema yesterday or went?"
If so, you’re in the right place. The Simple Past (aka Past Simple) might seem straightforward, but it’s easy to stumble over.
Don't worry—I’ve got you covered! Whether you’re just starting out or need a refresher, mastering the Past Simple can take your English from ‘so-so’ to fluent.
In this post, we’ll break down the Past Simple tense—from talking about finished actions to quirky exceptions—and I’ll share some practical tips to avoid common mistakes.
Plus, we’ll talk Business, Military contexts, and sprinkle in some fun examples to make it stick.
Before we Start, Let me Guide you through a quick Mindset Shift,
so you can Benefit the most from what you are about to learn.
I am no ordinary teacher, I'm a Strategic English Coach, so you should expect things like this from me once in a while. It's what in English we call Tough Love,
and you're about to get one of my tough lessons delivered with love, to Equip you with the Tools Needed to endure the stress of a real Battle with English.
Here we go:
It’s Time to Reconsider your Learning Approach and Change your Perspective on the English language.
Stop Fighting it, or you will never be at Peace
Start Observing it, you might Discover things you didn't know
Make Friends with it. You might end up Falling in Love.
English is Not Invincible and it's Not your Enemy either. It's a Powerful Ally. I am the living Proof of this.
As my students often hear me say, Tenses are just like People, We are all Unique, each with some Peculiarities, Virtues and Flaws.
That's what makes us Human, Incomparable and incredibly Fascinating when we create bonds. This, of course, simply requires some of us to be skillfully Managed sometimes, in order to still get along (the same goes for English, think of your parents/in-laws/boss..and apply similar strategies to survive the lifelong relationship and get along!)
So be Mindful of the Peculiarities of each Tense and everything will be alright.
Remember:
To Tame a Beast one Must be Cognizant of it.
Per Domare una Belva bisogna Conoscerla a fondo.
Think you're Ready Now?
Grab your coffee (or espresso, tea or anything you like!)
and let’s Get into it.
The "Storyteller" Tense: