How to Use Past Simple Tense in IELTS Speaking & Writing

Objective

By the end of this post, you’ll be able to:
✅ Use the Past Simple Tense accurately to describe completed actions and past events.
✅ Apply it naturally in IELTS Writing Task 1 (Trends) and Speaking (Past Experiences & Stories).
✅ Avoid common tense errors that lower Grammar and Coherence scores.

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🌍 1. What Is the Past Simple Tense?

The Past Simple Tense describes completed actions or events that happened at a specific time in the past.

🧠 Formula:
👉 Subject + past form of verb (V2)

Examples:

• I watched a movie yesterday.
• She studied English last year.
• They visited London in 2018.

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🧩 2. Structure

Type	Formula	Example
Affirmative	Subject + V2	I went to the market.
Negative	Subject + did not (didn’t) + base verb	She didn’t go to the gym.
Question	Did + subject + base verb?	Did you study last night?

💬 Short Answers:

• Yes, I did. ❌ No, I didn’t.

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🔎 3. Usage Rules

Usage	Description	IELTS Example
1️⃣ Completed actions in the past	Actions that happened once or repeatedly	I took the IELTS test in 2023.
2️⃣ Past habits or routines	Repeated actions in the past	I studied every day before my exam.
3️⃣ Series of completed events	Describing a sequence	I woke up, had breakfast, and left for the test.
4️⃣ Specific time mentioned	Yesterday, last week, in 2015, etc.	The factory closed in 2010.

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⏰ 4. Signal Words

✅ yesterday ✅ last week ✅ ago ✅ in 2010 ✅ when ✅ once ✅ then

💬 Examples:

• I met him two years ago.
• She joined the course last month.
• When I was a child, I loved reading.

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🧱 5. IELTS-Style Examples

Writing Task 1 (Trends)

• The population increased rapidly between 2000 and 2010.
• Large number of students enrolled in higher education in 2015.

Writing Task 2 (Argument & Example)

• Many countries adopted online education systems during the pandemic.
• Governments implemented several policies to improve healthcare.

Speaking (Part 2 & 3)

• I visited Murree last winter.
• I watched an English movie that really helped me with pronunciation.
• Did you enjoy your school life? Yes, I really did!

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🧠 6. Practice Activities

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🔹 A. Verb Conjugation Drill

Base Verb	Past Form	Example Sentence
go	went	I went to London last week.
study	studied	She studied hard for her IELTS exam.
buy	bought	They bought a new house in 2020.
eat	ate	We ate dinner together yesterday.
see	saw	I saw my friend at the station.
write	wrote	He wrote a detailed report.
visit	visited	She visited her grandparents last Sunday.
begin	began	The class began at 9 a.m.
drive	drove	He drove to the countryside last weekend.
meet	met	I met my teacher after the test.

📝 Your Turn: Add 5 more verbs and make your own sentences in Past Simple on your notbook.

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🔹 E. Past Habit Practice

Use used to + base verb to describe your past habits.

Example:

• I used to play cricket after school.
• She used to live near the sea.

Now try:

1. (watch / cartoons)
2. (read / novels)
3. (go / jogging)
4. (play / guitar)
5. (drink / milk every night)

✅ Example Answers:

1. I used to watch cartoons every morning.
2. I used to read novels before sleeping.
3. I used to go jogging with my friends.
4. I used to play guitar in a small band.
5. I used to drink milk every night before bed.

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🔹 F. IELTS Writing Practice

Task 1:
Describe this data in Past Simple Tense:

In 2000, 20% of people owned smartphones. By 2010, the number rose to 60%.

✅ Model Answer:

The percentage of people who owned smartphones increased from 20% in 2000 to 60% in 2010.

Task 2:

Describe an experience that changed your life.

✅ Model Answer:

I joined an English club two years ago. It helped me overcome my fear of speaking in public and boosted my confidence.

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🔹 G. Speaking Drill – Past Experience Q&A

Question	Sample Band 7+ Answer
What did you do last weekend?	I visited my cousins and watched a movie with them.
Did you enjoy your school days?	Yes, I enjoyed them a lot. We played sports and organized small events.
When did you start learning English?	I started learning English when I was in grade 6.
What was your favorite subject in school?	My favorite subject was English because I loved writing essays.
Did you ever fail an exam?	Yes, once I failed, but it motivated me to work harder.

💡 Use strong past verbs to make your story interesting and natural.

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💬 IELTS Tip of the Lesson

⭐ Use Past Simple to describe completed events, historical trends, and personal experiences in IELTS Writing & Speaking.

📈 Writing Task 1:

• The sales of electric cars rose between 2015 and 2020.

🗣 Speaking:

• I visited my grandparents last week. It was a relaxing trip.

👉 Showing accurate tense control impresses examiners and boosts your Grammatical Range & Accuracy score.

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🐐 Final Words from GoatGuruEnglish

The Past Simple Tense helps you tell stories, describe trends, and share experiences clearly — all key skills for IELTS success.
Master it, and you’ll sound more fluent, confident, and natural in both Writing and Speaking.

Practice Present Perfect Tense – Exercises Here