THE PAST INDEFINITE (SIMPLE)

The Past Indefinite is a synthetic form
e.g. I worked. He sang
But the interrogative and negative forms are built up analytically (i.e.,by means of the auxiliary verb to do in the Past Indefinite and the infinitive of the notional verb without the particle to
e.g. Did you work? Did he work? We did not work. She did not work.

The Past Indefinite is used in the following cases:

1) to express a single action which took place in the past. The time of the action is often indicated. Yet the Past Indefinite may also be found with such adverbial modifiers of time as this morning, today, tonight, etc.
e.g. My mother first heard of him when I was a mere child.
I only met her six months ago.

NB! But sometimes the mention of the time or the place of the action appears unnecessary because reference is made to a particular action which is definite in the mind of the speaker and the hearer.
e.g. Sorry! I didn't mean to hurt you.
I slept very badly.

2) to express an action which occupied a whole period of time now over. The period of time is usually indicated in the sentence by means of adverbial phrases with the prepositions for or during and synonymous expressions.
e.g. I admit I was wrong. Remember how we quarrelled about it? We quarrelled for three days.

3) In narration to express a succession of actions.
e.g. So I went up the stairs. I bathed. I changed. Then I went downstairs and cooked and served dinner for three. Then I entertained Mr Stent. Then I wished him a very good night. Then I wished Jack good-bye. Then I took my suit-case and walked out…

4) To express recurrent actions. This meaning is generally supported by the use of adverbial modifiers of frequency such as often, never, now and again, sometimes, for days,etc.
e.g. You often mentioned her in your letters.

5) To express permanent actions which indicate continuous, uninterrupted processes in the past, giving a general characteristic of the person or thing denoted by the subject.
e.g. She lived alone in London, and saw no one except me.

NB! In English there are special means of expressing a recurrent or permanent action in the past. They are used to + infinitive and would + infinitive. Used to + infinitive
has only one form that of the past tense which occurs in present-time- and past-time contexts. It generally serves to express recurrent actions which may be either point actions or actions of some duration.
e.g. "She used to give me chocolate," murmured he.

NB! Sometimes used to + infinitive
with a durative verb serves to express a contrast between the past and the present (what was typical of the past is no longer true at present). This meaning is naturally found in present-time contexts.
e.g. "I used to be as sentimental as anyone a few years ago," said Ann.

NB! The negative and interrogative forms of used to +infinitive are very seldom found and there is fluctuation in the way they are built up.
e.g. Lena didn't use to like the clock, did she? "I'm not mean." "You usedn't to be. But you have been lately, haven't you? "Cedric, what's come over you? You used not to talk like that."And what did they use to give you on Sundays?" he was asking as I came in. "Used you to climb the old apple-tree in the garden?

NB! Would + infinitive is more restricted in its application than used to + infinitive. It is found only in past-time contexts and serves to express only recurrent actions. On the whole, would + infinitive is typical of literary style.
e.g. She would often wake up screaming in the night.

6) To express an action going on at a given past moment. We resort to use the Past Indefinite in the following cases:
a) The use of the Past Indefinite becomes obligatory with stative verbs.
e.g. He wanted all her troubles for himself at that moment.

b) The Past Indefinite may be used instead of the Past Continuous with certain durative verbs. They are to sit, to stand, to lie, to hang, to shine, to gleam, to talk, to speak, to wear, to carry, to walk and some others.
e.g. The lights in the house were out, but a rising moon gleamed against one window in the room where little Mary slept.

NB! Note that when we speak of inanimate things the Past Indefinite is the norm with the verbs mentioned above.
e.g. On the table lay three rows of cards face upwards.