Past Indefinite Tense – Definition Rules Exercise

We will learn past indefinite tense comprehensively including definitions, rules, formula structure, and exercises. Also, learn with the help of translation for better understanding.

What is Past Indefinite Tense Definition?

Past Indefinite Tense, also called Simple Past Tense, describes an action that happened in the past without specifying its duration. It is formed using the second form of the verb (V2).

What are 10 examples of past tense?

Here are 10 examples of sentences in the Past Indefinite (Simple Past) Tense:

1. She visited her grandparents last weekend.
2. They played football in the evening.
3. He completed his assignment on time.
4. We watched a movie yesterday.
5. The teacher explained the lesson clearly.
6. I bought a new book last month.
7. She did not attend the meeting.
8. They did not finish their homework.
9. Did you call your friend?
10. Did she not reply to your message?

What is Past Indefinite Tense Structure?

The structure of the Past Indefinite (Simple Past) Tense is:

1. Affirmative:
Subject + V2 (Past form) + Object.
Example: She visited the park.

2. Negative:
Subject + did not + V1 (Base form) + Object.
Example: He did not complete his work.

3. Interrogative:
Did + Subject + V1 (Base form) + Object?
Example: Did they watch the movie?

4. Interro-negative

Did + Subject + not + V1 (Base form) + Object?

Example: Did she not finish her homework?

Past Indefinite Tense Affirmative Sentences

Past Indefinite affirmative sentences describe completed actions that happened at a specific time in the past.

Formula:
Subject + V2 (Past form) + Object.

Examples:

1. She visited the museum.
2. They played football yesterday.
3. He completed his assignment.
4. We watched a movie last night.
5. I bought a new book.

Past Indefinite Tense Negative Sentences

Definition:
Past Indefinite negative sentences indicate that an action did not happen in the past.

Formula:
Subject + did not + V1 (Base form) + Object.

Examples:

1. She did not visit the museum.
2. They did not play football yesterday.
3. He did not complete his assignment.
4. We did not watch a movie last night.
5. I did not buy a new book.

Past Indefinite Tense Interrogative Sentences

Definition:
Past Indefinite interrogative sentences are used to ask questions about actions that happened in the past.

Formula:
Did + Subject + V1 (Base form) + Object?

Examples:

1. Did she visit the museum?
2. Did they play football yesterday?
3. Did he complete his assignment?
4. Did we watch a movie last night?
5. Did I buy a new book?

Past Indefinite Tense Interro-Negative Sentences

Definition:
Past Indefinite interro-negative sentences are used to ask negative questions about past actions.

Formula:
Did + Subject + not + V1 (Base form) + Object?

Examples:

1. Did she not visit the museum?
2. Did they not play football yesterday?
3. Did he not complete his assignment?
4. Did we not watch a movie last night?
5. Did I not buy a new book?

Why Past Indefinite Tense is Called Indefinite

The Past Indefinite Tense is called “indefinite” because it does not specify the exact duration or completion details of an action—only that it happened in the past.

Past Indefinite Tense with Urdu Translation

50 Sentences in Past Indefinite Tense (Urdu-English) in Table Form

کل میں نے اپنے دوستوں کے ساتھ پارک میں وقت گزارا۔ ہم سب صبح جلدی اٹھے اور ناشتہ کیا۔ پھر ہم پارک گئے اور وہاں کرکٹ کھیلی۔ بچوں نے جھولے جھولے اور بڑے لوگوں نے چہل قدمی کی۔ میں نے ایک خوبصورت تصویر بھی لی۔ دوپہر کے وقت ہم نے ہوٹل سے کھانا خریدا اور درختوں کے سائے میں بیٹھ کر کھایا۔ سب نے خوب انجوائے کیا۔ شام کو ہم واپس گھر آئے اور میں نے اپنی والدہ کو سارا واقعہ سنایا۔ وہ بہت خوش ہوئیں۔

The paragraph in Past Indefinite Tense

Yesterday, I spent time with my friends in the park. We all woke up early in the morning and had breakfast. Then we went to the park and played cricket there. The children swung on the swings, and the adults took a walk. I also took a beautiful picture. In the afternoon, we bought food from a hotel and sat under the trees to eat. Everyone enjoyed a lot. In the evening, we returned home, and I told my mother the whole story. She was very happy.

When past indefinite tense is used

The Past Indefinite Tense is used in the following situations:

1. To express a completed action in the past
   • Example: She visited the museum yesterday.
2. To describe past habits or repeated actions
   • Example: They played football every evening.
3. To narrate past events or stories
   • Example: The king fought bravely in the battle.
4. To mention past facts or general truths that are no longer true
   • Example: People believed the earth was flat.
5. To indicate a past action at a specific time
   • Example: I met him last Monday.
6. To talk about past experiences (without present relevance)
   • Example: We travelled to Paris in 2019.

Past Indefinite Tense vs Simple Past

There is no difference between Past Indefinite Tense and Simple Past Tense—they are two names for the same tense.

• “Past Indefinite Tense” is a term commonly used in traditional grammar.
• “Simple Past Tense” is the modern and widely accepted term.

Both refer to completed actions in the past and follow the same structure:

✅ Example:

• Past Indefinite: She went to the market.
• Simple Past: She went to the market.

Both sentences are identical in meaning and usage.

Past Indefinite Tense and Past Perfect Tense

For better understanding, let us learn the difference between past indefinite tense and past perfect tense.

Key Difference:

• Past Indefinite talks about a finished action in the past.
• Past Perfect emphasizes which action happened first in the past.