Past Indefinite Tense, Definition and Example Sentences
Table of Contents
Past Indefinite Tense
While the “indefinite tense” is a category of the verb tense, it covers simple past tense, simple present tense and simple future tense. The three indefinite tenses represent usual activities and realities. Unlike other tenses, indefinite tenses describe actions without specifically specifying whether the verbs are complete. Indefinite tenses are more commonly referred to as simple tenses. The term “indefinite” is not used very often, especially when talking about individual uncertain times. This is why we used the term “simple” when talking about three indefinite tenses.
The Indefinite Tense in the Past
| Past perfect progressive tense | I had been going |
| Past progressive tense | I was going. |
| Past perfect tense | I had gone. |
| Simple past tense | I went. |
The Indefinite Aspect
The term indefinite direction is used to group all actions at indefinite times. These verbs are past tense, present tense, and future tense. It should be noted here that the appearance of the action is determined by whether the verb expresses a fact, an ongoing action, or an incomplete action. Actions of indefinite dimensions express facts.
Why Are Indefinite Aspect Important?
Native English speakers can use all tenses without thinking twice about grammar. In addition, if you are teaching or learning English, you need to spend time learning tenses because expressing when something happens is a very basic communication skill. Simple tenses are generally the first tenses to be taught or learned. However, as we mentioned, they are not very simple and are not used very often during a natural dialogue. We must remember that tenses do not tell us whether something is a past, present, or future verb. They also tell us whether the action is in a habitual, completed, or ongoing state.
Common Regular Verbs in the Past Tense
In the table below, we have listed the past tense and negative forms of some of the frequently used regular verbs.
| Infinitive | Past Tense | Negative |
| To work | Worked | Did not work |
| To use | Used | Did not use |
| To call | Called | Did not call |
| To ask | Asked | Did not ask |
| To need | Needed | Did not need |
| To help | Helped | Did not help |
| To talk | Talked | Did not talk |
Common Irregular Verbs in the Past Tense
We have listed the past tense and negative forms of frequently used irregular verbs in the table below.
| Infinitive | Past Tense | Negative |
| To have | Had | Did not have |
| To be | Was/were | Was not/ were not |
| To do | Did | Did not do |
| To get | Got | Did not get |
| To say | Said | Did not say |
| To make | Made | Did not make |
| To see | Saw | Did not see |
| To come | Came | Did not come |
Past Indefinite Tense Example Sentences
Years ago, when I was young, I used to listen to this music often.
This video game must be very old, we used to play it with my brother when I was little.
This product was made in Japan I guess.
I remember our old Christmas times, we were pretty spoiled kids.
We used to be pure-hearted people, too, life conditions made us this way.
In the past, years ago, we had a greengrocer here.
Once upon a time, our ancestors gave great struggles for these lands.
