Past Habits using Past Simple

In this lesson of  Learning English as a Second Language, we shall learn:

• How to express Past Habits or Repeated Actions Using Past Simple (Indefinite Tense)

As  you have already done Unit 36: Expressing Past Habits Using Used To and Unit 37: Expressing Past Habits Using Would, I hope that you now understand  very well how to express Past Habits or Repeated Actions and Past Situations. Today  we will understand how Past Simple (Indefinite ) can be used to show Past Habits or Repeated Actions and Situations.

Video Tutorial in English

Video Tutorial in Urdu

Observe the following examples:

1. I used to play cricket everyday when I was a child.  (Expressing a Past Habit using Used To)
2. I would play cricket everyday when I was a child.    (Expressing a Past Habit using Would)
3. I played cricket everyday when I was a child.           (Expressing a Past Habit using Past Simple Tense)

If you observe the above examples carefully, you will see that all of the sentences are expressing a Past Habit. I must tell you that there isn't any difference in the above sentences and all deliver the same idea. Now it is up to you what you want to use for expressing a past habit, it's your own choice. You can use Used To  , Would  or Past Simple for expressing a Past Habit or a Repeated Action.

In Unit 37 , I explained the difference between Used to and Would that Used to can be used to express past situations but Would can not be used for a past situation and that both can be used for expressing a past habit or a repeated action.

Past Simple Tense can be used for a Past Habit, Repeated Action and Situation too.

For Example:

1. She Collected stamps when she was a child.  (Expressing a Past Habit using Past Simple)
2. She went to school everyday when she was a child.  (Expressing a Past Repeated Action using Past Simple)
3. She liked ice-creams a lot when she was a child.      (Expressing a Past Situation Using Past Simple)

In sentence no.3 you can see that there isn't any action. (she liked) is a Past Situation not an action and this situation does not exist anymore.

Exercise no 1: Change only the part showing a past habit or situation  in to Past Simple Tense in the following sentences.

1.    She  used to clean the house everyday unit she got married.

2.    He would write a letter every week to his mother when he was in Africa.

3.    Salma used to cook a pizza every Sunday.

4.    My boss would scold me everyday in the beginning but now he doesn't.

5.    She used to sleep in the class during a lecture.

6.    He would never fight until someone disturbed him.

7.    I used to like cats when I was young but now I don't.

8.    He would go to the park everyday in the morning to study.

9.    She used to make lame excuses every time.

10.   He would always lie in the class when he was a student.