50 Examples of Past Indefinite Tense: A Complete Guideline

Last updated on May 22nd, 2025 at 12:48 pm

Have you ever talked about something that happened yesterday or last week? Maybe you said, “I played football after school,” or “We visited grandma last Sunday.” If you have, then congratulations—you’ve already used the Past Indefinite Tense!

In this lesson, we will discuss the 50 effective examples of past indefinite tense. As an English learner, you know that knowing verb tenses is important for understanding the different moments in time. The past indefinite tense or simple past tense is used to talk about things that happened in the past or a past habit.

📘What is the Past Indefinite Tense?

The Past Indefinite Tense, also known as the Simple Past Tense, is used when we talk about actions that happened and were completed in the past. It doesn’t matter if the action happened a minute ago or many years ago—if it’s over, we use the past indefinite tense.

Let’s look at a simple example:

• I watched a movie last night.

This sentence tells us that the action (watched a movie) is finished, and it happened in the past.

✅ Structure of Past Indefinite Tense

Let’s break it down into three types of sentences:

✏️ 1. Affirmative Sentence (Positive)

Structure:
👉 Subject + Past Form of Verb + Object

Example:

• She cleaned her room.

❌ 2. Negative Sentence

Structure:
👉 Subject + did not (didn’t) + Base Form of Verb + Object

Example:

• They did not go to school.

❓ 3. Interrogative Sentence (Question)

Structure:
👉 Did + Subject + Base Form of Verb + Object?

Example:

• Did you finish your homework?

🟡 Remember: Only the helping verb “did” changes. The main verb stays in its base form in negative and question sentences.

⏳When Do We Use the Past Indefinite Tense?

We use the Past Indefinite Tense when we want to talk about things that already happened. It helps us describe past actions, events, or habits. Let’s look at the most common situations where this tense is used:

✅ 1. To Talk About Completed Actions in the Past

We use it when something started and finished in the past.

Examples:

• I watched a cartoon yesterday.
• They visited the zoo last weekend.

🟢 These actions are over and done!

✅ 2. To Describe Past Habits or Routines

It’s also used to talk about what someone used to do regularly in the past.

Examples:

• She woke up early every day when she was younger.
• We played in the field after school.

🟢 These are habits from the past that don’t happen anymore.

✅ 3. To Talk About Past Events or Stories

You’ll often hear the past indefinite tense when someone tells a story or shares a memory.

Examples:

• A cat jumped onto the table and broke a glass.
• My parents met at college.

🟢 Perfect for storytelling and sharing memories!

✅ 4. To Mention a Specific Time in the Past

If you know exactly when something happened, this is the right tense to use.

Examples:

• I bought this shirt last Friday.
• He left the party at 9 PM.

🟢 The time is clear—so we use past indefinite!

✨50 Examples of Past Indefinite Tense

Let’s look at 50 real-life examples of Past Indefinite Tense to help you see how this tense is used in everyday situations. We’ve divided them into groups to make learning easier.

🏡 A. Daily Actions (10 Examples)

🏫 B. School Experiences (10 Examples)

🎉 C. Fun and Free Time (10 Examples)

🕰️ D. Historical or Past Events (10 Examples)

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 E. Family and Personal Moments (10 Examples)

✨50 Mixed Examples of Past Indefinite Tense

Let’s see the 50 mixed examples of the past indefinite tense:

1. I went to school yesterday.
2. I slept every night last week.
3. I wanted to visit my grandparents this weekend.
4. I was exhausted from walking around all day.
5. I received the letter this morning.
6. Did you not write the letter?
7. I wrote my book in the past.
8. We did not ask him to work for us.
9. What did he buy yesterday?
10. He made a mistake in his task.
11. Did you not see your friend?
12. He finished his work on time.
13. She lost her keys last night.
14. Did they not go to school yesterday?
15. I asked my friend to help me with my homework.
16. He refused to help me.
17. He demanded money from me.
18. I refused to give it to him.
19. They threatened us.
20. We were not afraid of them.
21. Did they not tell you the truth?
22. Did you not meet your friend?
23. I did not help him.
24. Did you receive my letter?
25. I received a new book from my uncle.
26. How much did you pay for your new bicycle?
27. I paid AQA’s tuition fees yesterday.
28. They built a new house in our neighborhood last year.
29. Did he repair his car?
30. She drove her car to school yesterday.
31. He borrowed my mobile phone last night.
32. I gave him a gift on his birthday.
33. We invited them for dinner last week.
34. Did you not tell him?
35. Did you not meet your friend?
36. Shahid was a good worker.
37. What did you do yesterday?
38. I spent my time with my friends.
39. Did he sell his house?
40. He failed the test.
41. I completed the task yesterday.
42. Did you not have a good time yesterday?
43. I did not see your brother.
44. Did he receive the letter?
45. I received your email last morning.
46. We did not go to school yesterday.
47. What did you do yesterday?
48. I saw my friend in the market.
49. Did you give him the document?
50. We returned home late at night.

✅ Summary

In this lesson, we explored what the past indefinite tense is, when to use it, and how to form different types of sentences. We also went through 50 useful examples of past indefinite tense to help you see how it works in real life.

Here’s a quick recap:

• Use it for actions that started and ended in the past.
• Add -ed to regular verbs, and remember the past forms of irregular verbs.
• Use “did” for questions and “did not (didn’t)” for negative sentences.

Keep practicing by writing your own sentences and talking about your past experiences. The more you use it, the easier it will become!

Azizul Hakim

Azizul Hakim is the founder & CEO of englishfinders.com. He is a passionate writer, English instructor, and content creator. He has completed his graduation and post-graduation in English language and literature.