LoginPresent Simple vs. Past Simple
What Are Their Main Differences?
The main difference between past simple tense and present simple tense is in terms of time and usage. Past simple tense tends to talk about past events and actions. Present simple, however, talks about actions or states that are general or always true.
Time Reference
The Present Simple tense is used to describe actions, states, or habits that are general, habitual, or true in the present. It can also describe universal truths or facts that are always true. Past Simple tense, on the other hand, refers to actions, states, or events that happened and were completed in the past. This tense is used to talk about actions that are no longer ongoing, and the time of the action is often specified. Take a look at the examples below:
I work at a bank.
This is a general fact about the speaker's present situation.
I worked at the bank last year.
This was true in the past but is no longer true.
They visit Paris every year.
This sentence refers to a repeated action.
They visited Paris last summer.
The visit is completed in the past.
Usage
The 'present simple tense' is used to refer to routine actions or habits, general facts or truths, and timetables or schedules in the present time. Present simple tense, on the other hand, is used to talk about completed actions, actions that happened at a specific time, or a series of completed actions in the past. Here are some examples:
I go to the gym every day.
This is an action that is repeated regularly, so the present simple tense is used.
Water boils at 100°C.
This is a general and universal truth.
I visited my grandparents last weekend.
This is a completed action in the past, so the past simple tense in used.
He worked in London in 2015.
Actions that happened at a specific time in the past are expressed using the past simple tense.
Signal Words
Signal words are used in sentences to indicate the relationship between ideas, including their relationship in terms of time. The present simple often goes with adverbs like always, usually, sometimes, never, every day, or on Mondays, as these words help indicate routine or regularity.
The past simple, on the other hand, often pairs with time expressions like yesterday, last year, in 2000, two days ago, or when I was a child, indicating specific times in the past.
I always go for a walk.
I went for a walk last week.
He often visits us.
He visited us on saturday.
Structures
The structure of the present simple tense involves using the base form of the verb, with an -s added to the third-person singular subjects (he, she, it). On the other hand, the structure of the past simple tense involves using the past form of the verb which is usually formed by adding '-ed' to the end of the base form of the verb. However, the past form does not change according to the subject. Look at some examples:
I eat breakfast every morning.
She eats breakfast every morning.
Present simple verbs take '-s' at the end when the subject is third person singular.
We played tennis last week.
Past simple verbs are formed by adding '-ed' to the base form of the verb.
He looked at the picture.
The past form of the verb does not change based on the subject.
Irregular Verbs
Irregular verbs do not follow the regular pattern when forming different tenses. 'To be' and 'to have' are two irregular verbs in the present simple tense. Take a look at the table below to see their different forms in the present simple tense.
In the past simple tense, the situation is more complicated. There are many irregular verbs that do not follow the standard pattern of adding '-ed' to form the past tense. Instead, the past forms of these verbs are unique and must be memorized because they don’t follow a consistent rule. The table below shows some of the common irregular verbs in the past tense.
base form | past form |
|---|---|
be | was/were |
have | had |
go | went |
eat | ate |
see | saw |
take | took |
I went to the store.
(past form of "go")
He saw a movie last night.
(past form of "see")
They ate lunch early.
(past form of "eat")
Quiz:
Which of the following sentences uses the past simple tense correctly?
I visit Paris last summer.
I visited Paris last summer.
I have visited Paris many times.
I visit Paris every summer.
Which of the following options describes the present simple tense correctly?
It is used for completed actions that happened in the past.
It is used for actions that will happen in the future.
It is used for actions that happened once and are no longer happening.
It is used for actions that are always true.
Choose all the signal words that fit with the present simple verb tense. (Three options are correct.)
yesterday
last week
always
in 2000
every day
usually
two days ago
last night
when I was younger
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the verb given in the parenthesis.
She
(to eat) breakfast every morning.
I
(to go) to the gym last night.
She
(to study) French last year.
They
(to visit) the museum every weekend.
They
(to have) a picnic every Sunday.
We
(to watch) a movie last night.
Complete the table with the correct tense for each description.
| usage | tense |
|---|---|
A fact that is always true | |
A habitual action in the present | |
An action completed yesterday | |
An event that happened last year | |
A repeated action |
Complete the table with the correct forms of the verbs in the present and past tenses.
| Subject | Present Simple | Past Simple |
|---|---|---|
I | go | |
you | play | |
he/she | saw | |
we | watched | |
they | have |
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