English has three very common past tense forms. They help you explain what happened, what was happening, and what happened first.
Use these tenses to tell stories clearly and show the order of events.
Quick Overview
| Tense | Form | Main use | Example |
|---|
| Simple Past |
verb + -ed / irregular form |
finished actions in the past |
I paid the rent yesterday. |
| Past Progressive |
was/were + verb-ing |
action in progress in the past; background |
I was paying online when the website crashed. |
| Past Perfect past-before-past |
had + past participle |
an earlier past action (before another past action) |
By the time I called, she had already left. |
1) Simple Past
Form
- Regular verbs: verb + -ed (work → worked, clean → cleaned)
- Irregular verbs: special form (go → went, buy → bought, see → saw)
- Negative: did not / didn’t + base verb
- Questions: Did + subject + base verb?
I signed the lease last week. • She moved in yesterday.
I didn’t pay by cash. • Did you call the landlord?
Tip: Use simple past with finished time words: yesterday, last night, two days ago, in 2019.
2) Past Progressive (Past Continuous)
Form
was / were + verb-ing
When we use it
- To show an action in progress at a specific past time
- To describe the background in a story
- For a long action that was interrupted by a short action (often with when)
- For two actions happening at the same time (often with while)
At 8 p.m., I was checking my bank account.
We were driving home when the storm started.
While I was cooking, my roommate was cleaning.
3) Past Perfect
Form
had + past participle
When we use it
- To show the earlier of two past actions
- To explain a past result (cause → effect)
- With time phrases like by the time, before, after, already
By the time I arrived, the meeting had started.
She couldn’t pay because she had lost her wallet.
They had never rented before they bought a house.
Simple Past vs Past Progressive vs Past Perfect
| Meaning | Best tense | Example |
|---|
| Finished action |
Simple Past |
I paid the bill. |
| Action in progress (background) |
Past Progressive |
I was paying the bill when you called. |
| Earlier past action (first) |
Past Perfect |
I had paid the bill before I left. |
Common Mistakes
- ✖️ I was went to the store. → ✔️ I went / I was going.
- ✖️ When I arrived, they started already. → ✔️ When I arrived, they had already started.
- ✖️ I had seen him yesterday. → ✔️ I saw him yesterday. (finished time → simple past)
Mini Story (All three tenses)
Yesterday, I went to the bank. (simple past)
While I was waiting in line, I was checking my phone. (past progressive)
By the time I reached the counter, I had forgotten my PIN. (past perfect)