Simple past

The simple past tense expresses a past action or event the time of which may or may not be indicated.
Sentences in this tense have the following structure:

The Past Perfect Tense

Affirmative
I had worked.
She had worked.
They/you/we had worked.

Negative
I had not worked.
She had not worked.
They/you/we had not worked.

The Simple Past or Past Indefinite Tense

Affirmative

I wrote.
She wrote.
They/you/we wrote.

Negative

I didn’t write.
She didn’t write.
They/you/we didn’t write.

Interrogative

The present indefinite or the simple present

Form:
Affirmative

I work.
She works.
They/you work.

Negative

I don’t work.
She doesn’t work.
They/you don’t work.

Interrogative

We have seen that the past perfect tense is used to talk about a completed past action. Note that when two past actions have to be mentioned, the past perfect is used for the earlier of the two, and the simple past for the later.

The tense of a verb shows not only the time of the action but also whether it is complete or not. There are three tenses in English: