CHAPTER I

PRELIMINARY
A. Background

English is the international language. By mastering English well, we will

be able to communicate with other nations in this world. In addition, we will also
be able to increase our knowledge and knowledge for the advancement of our
nation and country, because we will be able to read English literature, listen to
foreign radio broadcasts, and watch films, gain insight into science other. Thus, in
the end we can master knowledge in all fields. Tenses are important in English
language education. And also a rule in English. If someone wants to master
English well, then he must be able to master tenses well. Among other forms of
tenses, in this paper we explain simple past past tense.

B. Problem Formulation
1. What is the meaning of past tense?
2. How is the formula for making past tense sentences?
3. What functions can be used in making past tense sentences?
C. Purpose of writing
1. Knowing the meaning of past tense.
2. Know the formula of past tense in making sentences.
3. Know the functions that can be used in making past tense sentences.

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 CHAPTER II
DISCUSSION
A. Definition of Simple Past Tense

Simple past tense is a tense that serves to show the work that happened in
the past. This tense understanding is almost the same as Simple Present Tense,
only the time is different and often also used in conversation or writing. 1

B. Simple Past Tense formula.

Because this formula is simple, the formula is simple. We only need Verb-
2 as the absolute characteristics of the past tense formula. So the basic formula of
the verbal sentence is: S + Verb-2. As for nominal sentences, then we must make
"to be" be verb-2, which is "was and were". Simple Past Tense uses the "TO BE
2" and "VERB 2" types. TO BE 2 consists of: was & were (for details, see the
following table). 2

I Was
He
She was
It
We
You were
They

I
You
They
We Did / Didn't
He
She
It
 interrogative sentence.
 DID NOT (DIDN'T) is used in negative sentences.

1
http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/tenses/simple_past.htm. Accessed on
September 19, 2018.
2
http://fatmanauli.blogspot.co.id/2014/02/makalah-tenses.html

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  TO BE 2 (Was & Were) is used when a sentence has no verb elements
(NON VERB)
 VERB 2 is only used on positive sentences.

Express sentences Simple Past Tense using verbs (VERB)

+ Subject + Verb 2 + Object

- Subject + DID NOT (DIDN'T) + Verb 1 + Object
? DID + Subject + Verb 1 + Object ?
? Question Word + DID + Subject + Verb 1 ?

Example:

+ He bought a pair of shoes yesterday.

- He didn't buy a pair of shoes yesterday.
Did he buy a pair of shoes yesterday?
? Answer : Yes He did, atau No, He did not (didn't)
? Did he buy a pair of shoes yesterday?

Simple Past Tense function on verbal sentences Usually used to state a

situation that has been done in the past and completed at that moment or to
describe an event that occurred at a certain time in the past, for example:

a. finished my homework in the library yesterday.

b. She They worked with me two months ago.

Express sentences Simple Past Tense that does not use verbs (Non VERB)

+ Subject + To be 2 + Non Verb + Object

- Subject + To be 2 + NOT + Non Verb + Object
? To be 2 + Subject + Non Verb + Object?
? Question Word + To be 2 + Subject + Non Verb + Object?

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Example:

+ I was a singer 5 years ago.

We were a singer 5 years ago.
- I was not a singer 5 years ago.
We were not a singer 5 years ago.
? Were you a singer 5 years ago?
Answer: Yes I was, or No, I was not
Where were you last night?
? Answer:I was at home.

This tense is said to be simple because simple past tense just wants to
provide information about a job that has happened in the past without wanting to
show that the work is being done or has been done.3

Bentuk Rumus Example

+ Verbal S + Verb-2 She killed a snake yesterday
Nominal S + was/were I was there but you did not see me
+ nominal
- Verbal S + did + not She did not know where to go.
+ Infinitive
Nominal S + was/were When I was a child, I used to cry.
+ not +
nominal
? Verbal Did + S + Did you take my money?
Infinitive
Nominal Was/were + Was the case hard to solve?
S + nominal?

3
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/601/01/. Accessed on September 18,
2018.

4
C. Simple Past Tense function
1. State activities / activities that have occurred in the past. Usually the
offender in the sentence does not state when the activity ends. Example:
a. I saw a movie yesterday.
b. Did you have your dinner last night?
c. He did not wash his car.
2. State some activities that have occurred in the past. Usually the number of
activities is more than one. Example:
a. I finished work, walked to the beach, and found a nice place to swim.
b. He arrived from the airport at 8:00 a.m., checked into the hotel at 9am
Am, and met others at 10.00am.
c. Did you add flour, pour in the milk, and then eggs?
3. Declare the time period of the activity that has occurred in the past, the
duration of the time described is usually long. Can be two years or more.
Example:
a. I lived in Brazil for two years
b. Shauna studied Japanese for five years.
4. Declare the habits that have occurred and have stopped in the past, this form
is the same as "Used to". Usually we add time information like always,
often, usually. Example:
a. I studied Japanese language when I was child.
b. She worked at movie theater, when she was in junior high school.
5. Stating the general truth that has happened in the past that has not happened
again. Example:
a. She was shy as a child, but now she is easy going.
b. He did not like tomatoes before.4
Remaks Simple past tense uses time information that shows the past, like
yesterday, last week, last night, one year ago, the day before, once upon a time.5
Examples of Simple Past Tense Sentences.

4
http://www.belajaringgris.net
5
http://faculty.washington.edu/marynell/grammar/verbtenses.html. Accessed on
September 18, 2018.

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1. My mother cooked fried chicken for my birthday party last week.
2. I tried to call you yesterday, but no one was picked up for my phone.
3. Jokowi won the president election several months ago.
4. My smartphone was the fastest loading among others.
5. She did not go to school yesterday because since three days ago she has
been sick.
6. Many life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to
success when they gave up
7. I wonder why you did not take the scholarship to study abroad.
8. you so sleepy last night that you left the show before it over?
9. would wait for you if I was not in hurry to catch my flight.
10. weather was not good enough to play football yesterday.6

6
http://inggrisonline.com/pengertian-rumus-simple-past-tense-fungsi-dan-contoh-kalimat/

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 CHAPTER III
Cover

A. Conclusion

1. Simple Past Tense function on verbal sentences. Usually used to state a

situation that has been done in the past and completed at that moment or to
describe an event that occurred at a certain time in the past.
2. Simple Past Tense function in the nominal sentence. Usually used to declare
a habit in the past but not last now.
3. The time information for the Simple Past Tense used is: Yesterday
(yesterday), last night (last night), last week (last week), yesterday morning
(yesterday morning), an hour ago (an hour ago), two days ago (two days
ago), and so on.

B. Criticism and Suggestion

We realize that in making this paper, we still have many mistakes and
shortcomings both in our writing or we say English sentences and words. Because
we are not foreigners whose daily language is English. And we hope that we can
improve in terms of writing and understanding and the use of English in daily life,
and useful in the future.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/tenses/simple_past.htm.
Accessed on September 18, 2018.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/601/01/. Accessed on
September 18, 2018.
http://faculty.washington.edu/marynell/grammar/verbtenses.html.
Accessed on September 18, 2018.
http://people.rit.edu/kecncp/Courses/Materials/Grammar/When,While,Dur
ing.doc. Accessed on September 18, 2018.
http://www.elc.byu.edu/classes/aoyama/grammar4/aoyg4f05/charts/past2.
pdf. Accessed on September 18, 2018..