How do we use the Past Simple Tense?

We use the past simple tense to talk about an action or a situation - an event - in the past. The event can be short or long.
Here are some short events with the past simple tense:

The car exploded at 9.30am yesterday. She went to the door. We did not hear the telephone. Did you see that car?

Examples:

I arrived home at five.

When I was in the garden 

Where did you go last night
Last year I took my exams.

I lived in South Africa for two years.

http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/tensesimpast.html

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