Overview
The present simple describes habits and general truths (I work every day), while the past simple describes completed past actions (I worked yesterday). Contrasting these two tenses is essential for choosing the right form in everyday speaking and writing.
Present simple vs. Past simple
- present simpleHabits / facts: She travels to work by train every day.
- past simpleCompleted past: They visited Paris last summer.
- negativesPresent: He doesn't like coffee. / Past: He didn't come.
- questionsPresent: Does she work here? / Past: Did she call?
Time signals
- Present simple: every day, always, usually, often, never, on Mondays.
- Past simple: yesterday, last week, in 2010, ago, when I was young.
- Irregular past forms: go → went / see → saw / buy → bought.
Common Mistakes
- ❌ She go to school every day. → ✅ She goes to school every day.
- ❌ He didn't went. → ✅ He didn't go.
- ❌ Did she finished? → ✅ Did she finish?
When to use
Routines
I walk to work every morning.
Past events
She moved to London two years ago.
Facts
The sun rises in the east.
Biography writing
He was born in 1990 and studied law.